A HISTORY 



TOWN OF MURRAYFIELD, 



EARLIER KNOWN AS 



TOWNSHIP NO. 9, 



AND COMPRISING THE PKi;SENT TOWNS OF CHESTER AND HUNTINGTON, 

THE NORTHERN PART OF MONTGOMERY, AND THE 

SOUTHEAST CORNER OF MIDDIiEFIELD. 



1760 1783. 



By AIvKRED NI. COPELAND, 

Of SPRINGKIELE), IvIASS. 






SPEINGFIELD, MASS.: 

CLARK W. BRYAN & COMPANY, PRINTERS. 

1892. 

F.T. 

\. 



Copyright, 1892, bt 
ALFRED M. COPELAXD. 




3S it H^^s 1^ /J 6^ 



PRKKACK. 



About ten years ago I began gathering facts touching the history of 
the town of Murrayfield. I had had occasion frequently, during my 
residence in the town of Huntington, to consult the book of records 
of the original proprietors, and had traced a copy of the proprietors' 
plan of the town for my own use, as occasion might require in my 
professional work in the neighborhood; but it had never occurred to 
me to write a history of the town, nor to institute investigations in 
that direction. 

Some time after the organization of "The Connecticut Valley 
Historical Society" I promised to write a sketch of the town of 
■ Murrayfield, in a single paper, to be read before the society; but 
several years transpired before I felt sure that I had found the start- 
ing point. The more I investigated, the richer the field proved. 
From the proprietors' records, from the registry of deeds, from the 
records of courts, from the records of the Colonial General Court, 
from original documents in the ofliice of the Secretary of the Com- 
monwealth, from the records of the old town and of the old church, 
and from inscriptions upon headstones in the old cemetery, I gathered 
together a greater array of facts than had at first seemed possible. 

From individuals living in Chester and in Huntington I could 
obtain absolutely nothing touching the early history of Murrayfield. 
The information obtained from the most intelligent of them related 
to a later period. 

It was often necessary to give some collateral history of the times 
in order to make clear many facts which the records of the town fail 
to explain. It seemed undesirable to attempt to present any facts 
unverified by authentic records. The reader will judge whether I 
have erred in this. At any rate, I feel sure that the sketch of Mur- 



6 PREFACE. 

rayfield which is here offered to the public is worthy of a careful 

perusal, and that I have succeeded in snatching from oblivion many 

valuable facts. I feel equally certain that the early history of other 

towns in western Massachusetts offer a rich field to the historian. 

The history of Murrayfield is very like that of other towns in this 

part of the state that were settled too late to be involved in the 

Indian wars. 

This history of Murrayfield presents an object lesson as to the 

birth and growth of inland towns in New England, and so cannot 

but be of general interest. 

ALFRED M. COPELAND. 



A HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MURRAYFIELD. 



CHAPTER FIRST. 



INGERSOLL GRANT IN" THE OLD COUNTY OF HAMPSHLRE, MASSA- 
CHUSETTS. 

On page 122 of book L in the Registry of Deeds, for the old county 
of Hampshire, is the copy of a deed as follows: 

"John Stoddard and Ebenezer Pomeroy of Northampton, and Thomas Inger- 
sole of Westfield, all in the county of Hampshire in the ProYince of Massa- 
chusetts Bay in New England, Esqrs., on March the 26th, 1736, were by the 
Great and General Court of the said Provicce, specially authorized and ap- 
pointed among other things to purchase rights of land of the- proprietors of 
Upper Housatonick Township— so called — in the said county in order to the 
accommodating and bringing forward a settlement of the Indians above the 
Monument Mountain — so called — in said Housatonick Township,* and to give 
equivalents therefore in some of the unappropriated lands of the said province 
to the proprietors of whom we shall purchase the land as per the said order of 
the said court or assembly reference to the same being had will appear. Now 
we, the said John Stoddard, Ebenezer Pomeroy; & Thomas Ingersole, by 
virtue of the said commission & authority vested in us, have purchased six 
rights of land in Upper Housatonick above the Monument Mountain — so 
called — each right containing four hundred acres, of David Ingersole of West- 
field in the county & province aforesaid. Now we, the said John Stoddard, 
Ebenezer Pomeroy, & Thomas Ingersole, as a committee aforesaid, have agreed 
with the said David Ingersole to give him an equivalent from the government 
for the aforesaid rights of land in the unappropriated land of the said Prov- 
ince, a certain tract or parcel of land of the quantity of four thousand & 
eight hundred acres; beginning at the northeast corner of Southfieldf Equiva- 
lent land called Glasgow; north east corner & so running upon Glasgow line 
West 20° North two hundred & twenty perch to a marked tree on the east bank 
of the west branch of the Westfield River; & thence North 15° East two hun- 
dred & eighty perch; thence East 40° North one hundred perch; thence North 
15° East continuing that line until five hundred & sixteen perch be completed; 

* For a more particular account of this the reader is referred to the history of Stockbridge 
The sketch of Stockbridge in Dr. Holland's History of Wes ern Massachusetts gives some 
account of it. 

t Suffield. 



8 A HISTOEY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

then beginning, viz: at Glasgow north-east corner, thence running south 39° 
east* one thousand & fifteen perch to Moss Meadowf to a tree with stones about 
it, which tree is jSTorthampton south-west corner. This last mentioned line joins 
upon Westfield last grant; thence from said tree North 5° east, in or on North- 
ampton line until eleven hundred and ninety-five perch be completed; & from 
thence in a straight line to the northernmost point of the line before mentioned 
which was north 15° east, and five hundred and sixteen perch; excepting three 
hundred acres heretofore laid out within the bounds aforesaid to Samuel Clapp 
& Ebenezer Sheldin. Now, we, the said John Stoddard, Ebenezer Pomeroy, 
& Thomas Ingersole, by virtue of the commission to us, we do hereby give, 
grant, convej^ & confirm unto the said David Ingersole, to him, his heir^, & 
assigns for ever, all the aforesaid described land, saving the said three hun- 
dred acres. 

To have and to hold, possess & enjoy, quietly & peaceably for ever more; 
and further we, the said John Stoddard, Ebenezer Pomeroy, & Thomas Inger- 
sole, Esqrs., by virtue of said commission to us granted, and in the name, & 
the behalf of the said government of the. said Province, we hereby covenant, 
promise & engage the before granted premises unto him, the said David Inger- 
sole, his heirs & assigns, forever to warrant, maintain, secure, and defend 
against the lawful claims or charges of any person or persons whatsoever. 

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands & seals this first day of 
June in the eleventh of the reign of George the Second, King, &c. Anno 
Domini 1738. 

''Signed sealed & delivei-ed in presence of us by 1 Jqhn StODD^RD & Seal. 
John Stoddard ^ Ebenezer Pomeroy, Oliver Partridge, 
Jr., Witnesses. }■ EbENEZER PoMEROY & Seal. 

" Witness to Thomas Ingerso'e signed, &c , Benjamin | ^ ,. o ci i ,i 

Prescott, Wm. Pynchon. J THOMAS INGERSOLE & Seal. " 

" Hampshire ss., June 1st, 1738, John Stoddard & Ebenezer Pomeroy, Esqrs., 
two of the subscribers to the above instrument appearing acknowledged the 
same to be their act & deed. 

Coram, Job Williams, Just. Peace." 

"Suffolk ss., Boston, June 20th, 1738, Thomas Ingersole, one of the sub- 
scribers to the above instrument personally appearing acknowledged the same 

to be his act & deed. 

Coram, Joshua Winslow, Just. Peace." 

The southeast corner of this tract was about a mile southeasterly 
from the present town house in Montgomery. When the town of 
Norwich was incorporated in 1773, IngersoU Grant was wholly included 
and foi-med the south end of that town. When the town of Mont- 
gomery was incorporated in 1780, a large part of tliis grant was in- 
cluded, and formed about one-third of the territory of that town. A 

* This was an error. The course in fact was S. 49^ E. 
+ This name should be Moose Meadow. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAY FIELD. 9 

small mountain called " Eock House,"' near which was the northeast 
corner of Glasgow, now called Blandford, was included by the bounds 
of this grant. 

INGERSOLL's deed to WEBB. 

By a deed dated April 7th, 1738 — before receiving a deed from the 
government — David Ingersoll conveyed to Thomas Webb of Boston, a 
part of his grant, and described it as follows: 

"Beginning 100 rods west 20° north from a certain tree which is Glasgow's 
north east corner, then from said tree South 39°* east 1015 perch upon West- 
field line to Moss Meadow,! being the southwest corner of Northampton;! 
then North 5° East 800 perch on Northampton line; then North 63° west 770 
perch; then 600 perch to the place of beginning." It was called in the deed 
3000 acres exclusive of the 300 acres owned by Shelden & Clapp. The quan- 
tity of land & the length of some of the Hdcs were exaggerated. 

IXGERSOLL's DEED TO JOHXSOX. 

By deed dated August 14th, 1738, Ingersoll sold the north end of 
his grant to John Johnson of Boston, a marriner, and described it as 
follows: 

" Beginning 800 rods from the southwest corner of Northampton on North- 
ampton west line; then North 44° West 750 perch; Then beginning at first 
bound running North 5° East on Northampton line 335 perch; then North 63° 
West 900 rods; then South 15° West 150 rods; then turning and running 250 
rods to the westernmost end of the 750 perch line." The quantity of land was 
estimated to be 1500 acres. 

UnTGERSOLL's DEED TO BREWER. 

Ingersoll sold the remainder of his grant to John Brewer of '' No. 
1 on the road between Westfield and Sheffield," and described it as 
consisting of 800 acres of land northeast of and adjoining Blandford. 
It was north of the northeasterly part of Blandford. The deed was 
dated July 8th, 1743, the year after the township called Glasgow was 
incorporated under the name of Blandford. The tract was described 
asfollows: 

" Beginning 100 rods West 20° North from a pine tree which is Blandford's 
north east corner, then running west 20° North 127 rods to a marked tree 
standing on the bank of the West Branch of Westfield Kiver; then running 

* This was in fact 49^. 

t Moose Meadow. 

% Northampton had not been divided at this time. 



10 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

North 15° East 289 rods; then East 40° North 103 rods; then North 15° East 
380 rods; then East 33° South 341 rods to stake & stones, being the north west 
bound of a tract of land sold by me to Thomas Webb of Boston; then run- 
ning to the first mentioned bound; & bounded south by Blandford; west by 
the country land; North by land I sold to John Johnson of Boston, & east 
by land I sold to said Webb." The consideration named in this deed was 
eighty pounds. 

brewer's deed to weller a]s^d aveller to bidwell and to 

matthews. 

By deed dated August 28th, 1754, John Brewer sold this tract of 
hind to Nathaniel Weller of Westlield. By Weller it was parcelled 
out to various purchasers. By deed dated April 14th, 1758 he con- 
veyed 50 acres of it to John Bidwell of Hartford, Connecticut, and 
it was descril^ed as follows: 

" A certain tract of land of fifty acres out of the southwest part of a cer- 
tain farm I bought of John Brewer of 800 acres lying northward & adjoining 
Blandford in said County of Hampshire; said fifty acres is bounded east on 
the main river* called Westfield River, & to extend west to the line of said 
farm, & to bound southerly on said Blandford town line, only reserving there- 
out ten acrest on said Blandford line, and to extend as far north on said farm 
as to make the said complement of fifty acres." 

The deed was acknowledged before David Mosele}^, Justice of the 
Peace. 

By a deed dated May 36th, 1760, Weller sold to Benjamin Matthews 
of Torrington, Connecticut, in consideration of 100 pounds, two tracts 
of this land, one containing 107 acres and tlie other containing 68 
acres. The description is as follows: 

"Bounded at the south east corner by a hemlock tree near the river, from 
thence running west 20° North 86 rods to stake & stones; thence North 15° 
East 160 rods to a heap of stones; then East 142 rods; bounded at the river by 
a hemlock tree with stones about it; from thence by the river southerly to the 
first mentioned bound, & bounded south by John Bid well's land. 

The other parcel lying a little northerly from the above described land on 
the second branch of the river, bounded at the north east corner on the river 
bank by a tree with stones about it; so running west 30° North 6 rods; then 
South 15° West 205 rods to a black birch tree with stones about it; then east 
63 rods to a buttonwood three on the bank of the river; then running north- 
erly by the river to the first bound containing 68 acres." 

* This was the east branch of Westfield River, which was sometime called the main branch. 

t Weller sold this ten acres to Samuel Root of Southampton, December, 2d, 1761, and described 
it as bounded on West Branch and by Blandford line 75 rods, and up the East Branch 21 J rods, 
and bounded it northerly by John Bid well's land 75 rods, and located it between Bid well's land 
and Blandford line. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 11 

"WELLER's deed to NATHAN LYMAN. 

By a deed dated July 6th, 1760, Weller sold to Kathan Lyman of 
Southampton, 90 acres of this land described as 

"A tract of land lying between the Branches of Westfleld Great River above 
Great Falls, bounded at the sOuth east corner by the river bank by a hemlock 
tree marked, which is Benjamin Matthews' north east corner; thence W 142 
rods; thence N. 15° E. about 20 rods to a hemlock tree marked; thence E. 40° 
N. 103 rods; thence N. 15° E. 50 rods to a birch tree which is said Matthew's 
south west corner; thence 63 rods to a buttonwood staddle on the river bank; 
so running down the river to the first mentioned bound containing 90 acres." 

WELLER's DEED TO MIXER. 

By deed dated April 28th, 1762, Weller conveyed to Isaac Mixer of 
SuflEield, Connecticut, 75 acres, located in the northerly part of his 
tract on the east side of East Branch, and it was described as follows: 

"Beginning at a maple tree, thence E, 25° S. 80 rods; thence N. 25° E. 
141 _J^ rods; thence W. 33° N. 100 rods to the river by the falls; thence down 
the river which is the main branch to the first bound a little above where the 
second branch enters* the main branch of said river on the West side." 

mixer's TAVERN. 

Mixer built a house and kept a tavern before 1764. Although it is 
not certain where this tavern was located, there is reason to believe 
that it was south of the land above described upon land of Weller, 
which Mixer afterward purchased. The records of the Court of Gen- 
eral Sessions in 1764 contain the following record: "Isaac Mixer of 
a, place called Westfield River Branches, or No. 9, is licensed to be an 
innholder and common victualler," In ] 765 Mixer made another pur- 
chase of Weller's land, containing 159 acres and described, as follows: 

" Beginning at stake & stones about 25 rods up the river above Mixer house 
near the bank, then E. 25° S. 144 rods; thence S. 38° W. upon the line of 
Samuel Webb's land 203 rods to stake and stones; thence W. 25° K to a spruce 
tree at the river; thence up the river to the first bound, lying on the east side 
of the ' Great River' so called; thence bounded northerly upon said Weller's 
land, and westerly upon the river; with the dwelling house & barn, and with 
a saw-mill standing on the same." 

MATTHEWS' DEEDS TO HIS SON AND TO HIS DAUGHTER. 

On the 28th of July, 1760, Benjamin Matthews gave to his daughter 
Eunice Rose, wife of Israel Rose of Granville, 30 acres from the south 

' This must have been further south than at the present time (1890). 



12 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

end of his sixty-eight acre tract, and to his son Gideon of Torrington, 
Connecticut, 50 acres from the north end of his one hundred and 
seven acre tract. His son and his daughter with her husband soon 
after located their homes in this vicinity, and he himself became a 
resident of Westfield about the same time. 

THE OLD ROAD UP THE EAST BRANCH OF WESTFIELD RIVER. 

Kemains of an old road between this locality and Westfield are still 
in existence; it crossed Westfield river a few rods below the junction 
of the east and west branches by a fordway which is often used at the 
present time. From this fordway the old road may be traced between 
the river and the Boston and Albany railway which it crosses, and so 
continues in a northerly direction near the east bank of the east branch. 
This road passed Isaac Mixer's tavern, and probably continued up the 
river into Chesterfield and connected with a highway which was laid 
out from Hatfield, and passing through Chesterfield, extended to Pon- 
tusic — now Pittsfield — as early as 17G0. 

WEBB's DEED TO ELDAD TATLOR. 

By deed dated April 30th, 1762, Thomas Webb and Samuel Webb, 
sons of the Thomas Webb to whom Ingersoll conveyed, sold to Eldad 
Taylor of Westfield, 300 acres of land described as follows: 

"A tract of land in the county of Hampshire & lying northerly from "West- 
field & adjoining to said Westfield, beginning at a tree which is now fallen 
down with stones on it, which tree is the north west corner bound of West- 
field & the north east corner bound of Blandford & from said bound to run 
east 39° south* 240 rods by Westfield line, & from thence to run north 39° East 
200 rods, theace West 39° North 240 rods, thence south 39° West 200 rods to 
first bound containing 300 acres, and is bounded southerly by Westfield & the 
other three sides on said Webb's land." The consideration was sixty pounds. 

It does not appear that any other conveyances were made from the 
Webbs to any one prior to June, 17G2. They subsequently conveyed 
parcels of land, lying east of the tract sold to Eldad Taylor, to David 
Crow and to Thomas Crow. They also sold tracts of land to Ebenezer 
King, to Benjamin Converse, to James Taggart, persons who became 
residents of the town of Murrayfield. 

JOHNSOX'S LAND SOLD TO DR. SPRAGUE. 

Of* the tract sold by Ingersoll to John Johnson, a deed dated May 
20th, 1756, was given by Johnson to Nicholas Tobb of Boston. On 

* See the description in the deed to David Ingersoll as to this course. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELB. 13 

the following day Tobb executed a deed of the same land to Priscilla 
Johnson, the wife of John; and she by deed dated September 7th, 175G, 
conveyed it to John Sprague, M. D., of Boston. The record does not 
show any conveyance of this land by Sprague prior to June, 1762. 

SHELDEN" AND CLAPP GRANT. 

The grant to Shelden and Clapp, mentioned and excepted from the 
grant to David Ingersoll, was made in answer to " a petition of Eben- 
ezer Shelden for himself and for Samuel and Mary Clapp, showing 
that the said Shelden and his sister Mary Clapp^ in their long captivity 
in Canada, contracted an acquaintance with the Cagnawaga Indians, 
who now put them to an extraordinary charge to entertain them wdien 
they came to Deerfield; and therefore praying for a grant of province 
land from this court. In the House of Representatives read; and in 
answ^er to this petition ordered that the petitioners have leave, by a 
surveyor and chain-man on oath to survey and lay out three hun- 
dred acres of the unappropriated lands of this Province in the county 
of Hampshire, and return a plat thereof to this court within twelve 
months for confirmation, one-half thereof to the said Ebenezer Shel- 
den and the other half to the said Samuel and Mary Clapp, Wednes- 
day, January 12th, 1736." 

This is all that appears of record. The plat, if in fact returned for 
confirmation, does not appear of record, so that there is nothing to 
show definitely its location. It was somewhere intermediate between 
the northeast corner of Glasgow or Blandford and the west line of 
Northampton as it was at that time. It was east of the 300 acre tract 
sold by the Webbs to Eld ad Taylor, at a distance probably of about 
400 rods from Eock House corner. 

SHELDEN'S deed to CALEB STKONG. 

Ebenezer Shelden, describiiig himself as of Deerfield, by deed 
dated October 29th, 1741, sold his half of this grant to Caleb Strong 
of Northamjiton and described it as follows: 

" A certain tract of land lying west of the township of Northampton & east 
of Suffield's Equivalent north east corner now called Glasgow north east corner 
containing one hundred & fifty acres being one half of a grant of three hun- 
dred acres made by the General Court or assembly of Massachusetts Bay to 
me the said Ebenezer Shelden & my brother & sister Samuel & Mary Clapp 
on January 12th, 1736. The whole tract is bounded & more particularly 
described by a plat of the same dated June 14, 1737 & confirmed by the afore- 
said court in June A. D. 1738." 



14 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

strong's deed to the carters. 

Caleb Strong sold this land to William and Asa Carter of Norwich 
by deed dated January 7th, 1774, following substantially the descrip- 
tion in Shelden's deed to him. 

CLAPP'S deed to wells. 

By a deed dated May 9th, 1774, Ebenezer Chipp and others of 
Northampton, and Elijah Clapp and others of Southampton, heirs of 
Samuel and Mary Clapp, in consideration of seventy-five pounds, con- 
veyed to Joseph AVells of Groton, New London County, in the state 
of Connecticut, "a certain tract of land lying in Norwich, being one- 
half of a tract containing three hundred acres granted by the General 
Court, January 12th, 173G, to Ebenezer Shelden and Samuel and Mary 
Clapp," etc. This deed gave no description which could aid in locat- 
ing the grant. Subsequently Wells sold to Job Halliday of Mont- 
gomery; and estates belonging to Salmon Thomas, to Hiram Halliday, 
and to Silas Hubbill were mentioned in the deed as abutting lands. 

THE GEEEN AND WALKER GRANT AND WILLIAMS GRANT. 

greex axd walker grant. 

Joseph Green and Isaac Walker, both of Boston, were copartners in 
the mercantile business under the style of Green & Walker. They 
were owners of extensive tracts of land in various parts of the Prov- 
ince of Massachusetts Bay. They held rights of land in Upper Housa- 
tonnock — as it was then spelled — at the time the provincial govern- 
ment was arranging for a settlement of the Indians above Monument 
Mountain. The settling committee, consisting of John Stoddard, 
Ebenezer Pomeroy and Thomas Ingersoll, who had been appointed for 
that purpose by the General Court, purchased these rights of Green 
& Walker and gave them m exchange therefor other tracts of land 
located in the county of Hampshire. One of the tracts given to make 
up an equivalent for their rights in Upper Housatonnock was located 
about 130 rods west of the west line of the town of Northampton, 
and consisted of 2,000 acres of land. The southwest corner of this 
grant, which was known as the Green & Walker Grant, touched the 
north line of the Ingersoll Grant. The west line was near the east 
branch of Westfield Kiver, a part of which was included toward the 
northwest part of the grant. The pond known as Norwich Pond was 



A HISTORY OF MUERAYFIELD. 15 

for the most part within the grant, occupying the northeast corner; 
the north line of the grant passed across the north end of the pond. 

The laying out of this grant and its conveyance to Green & Walker 
was reported to the General Court by Ebenezer Pomeroy and Thomas 
Ingersoll, two of the settling committee, at the session held May 30th, 
1739, but was not acted upon until the session which began by ad- 
journ-ment, December 5th, 1T39. A coj^y of the conveyance of this 
tract to Green & Walker by the settling committee does not appear in 
the Eegistry of Deeds for the old county of Hampshire; but the facts 
are recited in a deed given by Isaac Walker to Joseph Green dated 
October 24th, 174-i. Mr. Green retained his interest in this grant 
until his death, which took place some time between 1764 and 1769. 
His widow, Anna Green, as executrix of his will, by deed dated Janu- 
ary 30th, 1769, conveyed to George Green of Boston, the interest 
which her husband had in the Green & Walker grant at the time of 
his death, for the price of 400 pounds. 

In 1764 a partition of this grant was made by Oliver Partridge, 
Elijah Williams, and Moses Graves, commissioners appointed for that 
purpose by court, who made and returned a report December 18th, 
1764, and with it a plan upon which is the following minute: "A 
plan of 2,000 acres of land lying in Murray field laid out to Messrs. 
Joseph Green, Isaac Walker, Byfield Lyde, and John Green, surveyed 
June, 1739, and surveyed and marked anew October, 1764, by Elisha 
Hubbard, surveyor." 

GKEEN's deed to KIETLAJfD. 

George Green sold 163| acres of his part to John Kirtland of Mur- 
rayfield by deed dated July 4th, 1772. 




kj 



S IN 



S'oo Acres 
Js^^c IV^Mer's Heirs 



S 00 Acres 

^ cfJJrBulfmch 






302. ?9o4^ 
700 Acres, 



-z^/fods £. ■S~°S 



^Wil/i(ims Cr^nt. 



3oz Tfods 









I 



un''^ Walker Gr^nt 
Wil/uim5 Grant. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 17 

WILLIAMS GRAXT. 

The Williams grant contained 700 acres of land, and was granted 
by the General Court of the Province to tlie heirs of the Kev. John 
Williams, formerly of Deerfield, whose name is familiar to all who 
have read of the Indian wars in New England. The grant was made 
in answer to the petition of the Rev. Stephen Williams of Spring- 
field, June 1st, 1737; it was laid ont October 6th, 1737. The record 
of the General Court shows the following: 

"On petition of the Rev. Mr. Stephen Williams of Springfield, in the House 
of Representative?, June 1st, 1737, read & in answer to the petitiou, ordered, 
that the petitioner have If ave to survey & lay out by a surveyor & chainman- 
on oath 700 acres of unappropriated lands of the province, in lieu of 70O 
acres laid out & confirmed at the session of this court held the 24th of Novem- 
ber last which fall within a former grant & therefore is hereby vacated; & 
return a plan thereof wiihin twelve months for confirmation to satisfy the 
grant within mentioned." 

Sent up for confirmation, J. Quincy, Speaker. 

In council June 2d, 1737. Read & ordered consented to. 

The plan returned read as follows; "A tract of seven hundred 
acres of land lying west of the township of Northampton, viz; the 
southeast corner of said 700 acres being about half a mile westward of- 
the north "ud of a great hill known by the name of Break-neck HiH,^ 
and said corner is near the west bank of the west branch of Mahan, 
River, laid out to satisfy the grant of the General Court to the heirs, 
of the Rev. Mr. John Williams, late of Deerfield, deceased. 

Proportioned to a scale of 100 perch in an inch. 

Ebenezer Kingsley & Roger Miller, Chairmen. 

Laid out October 6, 1737. 

Oliver Partridge, Surveyor." 

Accompanying this was a plan of the grant. 

WILLIAMS' deed TO JOHX KIRTLAND. 

The deed of the Rev. Stephen Williams, then of SpringfieM,. to 
John Kirtland, yeoman, then of Norwich, New London County, Con- 
necticut, conveyed 400 acres for 180 pounds; and as it gives a descrip- 
tion of the whole tract I will copy the description part in full: 

"A tract of land in Murrayfleld iti said County of Hampshire, eontainmg 
400 acre.s, being 4-7 parts [the whole iu seven equal parts to be divided] of 



18 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

a tract of land in said Murray field containing 700 acres, which said tract of 
700 acres was granted by the general court of the province aforesaid & laid 
out to the heirs of the Rev. John Williams, late of Deerfield, deceased, & is 
bounded as follows: The south east corner of said 700 acres is about half a 
mile westward of the north end of Break Neck Hill, at a hemlock & beech 
tree marked ' W ' ; from thence said land runs N. 5^ E. 370 perch to a black 
birch marked ' W ' with stones around it; from thence running W. 5° N. 302_J^ 
perch to a maple marked ' "W & stones; from thence S. 5° W. 370 perch to 
a beach tree marked ' W '; from thence to the first mentioned bound." 

Kirtland had previous!}^ purchased two undivided sevenths, one by 
deed dated March 16th, 1768, from Samuel Woodward and his wife, 
Abigail Woodward, of Weston, Mass., Jacob Gushing and his wife, 
Anna Gushing, of Waltham, Mass., Joseph Parsons and his wife, Sarah 
Parsons, of Brimfield, Mass.; and the other by deed dated April 25th, 
1768, from Nathan Williams, clerk, of Hartford, Gonn. Each of 
these deeds conveyed 100 acres, and the price named in each deed was 
45 pounds. Thus John Kirtland became the ow^ner of six-sevenths 
of the Williams grant. 

KIRTLAND's deed to CLARK. 

13y deed dated June 20th, 1768, John Kirtland sold to James Glark, 
also of Norwich, Gonn., a carpenter, 50 acres which he described as 
^' being a part of 700 acres of land granted by the General Gourt of 
the Province of Massachusetts Bay, and hiid out to the heirs of the 
E,ev. Mr. John Williams, late of Deerfield, deceased, beginning at the 
southwest corner of said 700 acres at a beech tree marked 'W,' 
thence E. 5° S. 160 rods to a stake & heap of stones; thence N. 5° E. 
50 rods to stake & stones; thence W. 5° IS^. 160 rods to stake & stones 
in the ■west line of said grant; thence S. 5° W. 50 rods to first men- 
tioned bound." And by deed dated May 9th, 1769, John Kirtland 
sold 115 acres of the 700 acre tract to Daniel Kirtland, Jr., also of 
Norwich, Gonn., and bounded it as follows: 

"Beginning on the east line of a tract conveyed to me 62 >^ rods from the 
southeast corner of said grant, then W. 5° N. 134 rods; thence N. 5° E. 137 
rods; thence E. 5° S. 134 rods; thence S. 5° W. 137 rods to the first mentioned 
bound." The two Kirtlands and James Clark took up their abode in Mm ray- 
field shortly after the dates of these deeds. 

These two grants, the Green & Walker and the Williams grants 
together, formed a parallelogram, the Williams grant occupying the 
southeast corner. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 19 

THE BOLTOI>f GRANT. 

Immediately west of Ingersoll grant and bounded south 208 rods 
by Blandford and east 210 rods by Ingersoll grant was a tract of land 
containing 250 acres and known as Bolton grant. Its south line was 
south of the west branch of ^Yestfield Eiver. Huntington village, for- 
merly Chester village, and earlier known as Falley's X lioads, occupies 
a large part of the land which was comprised within this grant. This 
tract of land was occupied and claimed by John Bolton without legal 
title. He was what in our time would be called a " squatter." 

FOYE's deed to BOLTO]Sr AND BOLTON'S to BURT. 

In the year 1737 John Bolton purchased of John Foye, one of the 
original proprietors of Blandford, about 27 acres of land lying between 
the east and west branches of Westfield River at their intersection, and 
having as its northerly line the north line of Blandford. This piece 
of land he sold to Noah Burt of Southampton, the description of 
which will be of interest to persons who now own land within its 
bounds. The deed was dated January 30th, 1761, and is recorded in 
book 12 on page 208, now in the Hampden County Registry of Deeds. 
The grantor is described as ''John Bolton, living on Province land be- 
tween the branches of Westfield River between Blandford and South- 
ampton in the county of Hampshire.'' The description is as follows: 

"Twenty-seven acres of land in the town of Blandford, in a 500 acre lot 
number 38, which 27 acres I bought of John Foye. It is bounded as follows: 
Beginning at the east branch of the river on the line of the town of Bland- 
ford, & measured W. 20° N. to the other branch 74 rods; thence S. 10° E. by 
the river 40 rods; thence S. 20° E. 20 rods; thence southward by said branch 
or southerly to where the branches meet 66 rods; thence K 9° E. to the first 
bound by the river." The price was fifty pounds. 

The original proprietors of township No. 9 spoke of Bolton grant 
as a tract of land in the possession of John Bolton, as though there 
was some question in their minds as to whether Bolton was the right- 
ful owner of it. 

BOLTON's PETITION TO THE GENERAL COURT. 

The following appears upon the records of the General Court early 
in 1762: "A petition of John Bolton, living in the branches of 
Westfield River, setting forth that in the year 1736 the Great & Gen- 
eral Court made a grant of 200 acres of land in the township of Me- 
thuen to Capt. John Foot of Amsbury, who soon after sold the same; 



20. A HISTORY OF MURRAY FIELD. 

that uj)on the line between this province & Xew Ham2:)shire 127 acres 
of said land, purchased by the petitioner fell within the bounds of 
New Hampshire, and that in the year 1757 he petitioned the general 
court for relief, & was then encouraged by a con)mittee of the Court 
to be relieved, but nothing was done; & praying that the case may be 
now considered. In the House of Representatives Ordered. That 
the Committee for the sale of Western Lands be directed to except the 
250 acres of land (now in possession of John Bolton) in the sale; and 
that the said 250 acres be reserved to the further order of this Court. 

In Council read & noncurrcd, & ordered that the petition be dismissed. 

In the House read & concurred. 

In the House of Eepresentatives Ordered. That the Committee for 
the sale of lands at the westward be directed to except 250 acres of 
land now in possession of John Bolton & adjoining his house, & that 
the same be reserved for the further order of this court. 

In Council read & concurred. 

Consented to by the Governor." 

BOLTOX'S DEED TO ELDAD TAYLOR. 

Bolton never was disturbed by any controversy about his title; and 
in 1763, on the 21st of September, he sold to Eldad Taylor thirty 
acres from the northeast corner of his grant, a desci'iption of which 
may not be uninteresting: 

" Begiuuing at the northeast corner by a beech staddle with stones about it, 
thence W. 15° N. 40 rods; thence S. 15° W. 120 rods; thence E. 15° S.40 rods;- 
thence N. 15° E. to the first mentioned bound; containing 30 acres, & bounded 
west & South by Bolton's land, north by land of John Murray, & east by lands 
of John Moseley, Josiah Parks & John Bidwell." 

BOLTON'fcJ DEED TO BUKT AND LYMAN, 

By deed dated April 16th, 1764, describing himself of towns]}ip No. 
9, in consideration of £200, he sold to Samuel Burt and John Lyman, 
both of Northampton, the larger part of the grant, and described it 
as follows: 

" Being part of a grant of land made by the General Court of said Province 
to the said John Bolton, which part of said grant lieth on the southerly side 
of said grant adjoining the town of Blandford; the length of f^aid giant being 
208 rods. The part hereby conveyed is as follows: beginning at. a bass staddle 
with stones about it at the south east corner of land belonging to Eldad Tay- 
lor; thence running southerly 90 rods to Blandford line; thence W. 20° N, 
208 rods to stake & stones standing on the bank of the west branch of West- 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 21 

field River; thence running northerly on land of David Bolton 90 rods to stake 
& stones: thence easterly to a hemlock tree which is the southwest corner 
of said Taylor's laud; thence easterly to the bass tree first mentioned." 

THE SALE TO TEN TOWNSHIPS JUNE 2, 1762. 

These five grants, Shelden and Clapp's, Ingersoll's, Williams', Green 
and Walker's, and Bolton's, were all included within the bounds of 
Township No. 9, which was sold by auction June 2d, 1762. Ten 
townships were sold at the same time by auction at Boston. The 
order under Avhich these sales were made, and committee appointed to 
make the sale, was passed by the Cleneral Court February 17tli, 1763. 

Concerning this sale Dr. Holland, in his "History of Western Mas- 
sachusetts," makes the following statement: "As the finances of the 
Colony were embarrassed, and money became accumulated in individual 
hands, private enterprise found more extended fields of operation, and 
land speculations came to mingle in the schemes of those who had the 
means to engage in them. The peace which followed the events of 
1760 gave opportunity for these operations, and the General Court 
ordered ten townships in the western part of the colony, on the 2d of 
June, 1762, to be sold at Boston, by auction, to the highest bidder. 
They were sold by their numbers, in order, as follows: 

" No. 1. East Hoosac, now Adams, to Nathan Jones, for £3200. 

No. 2. A tract embracing the present towns of Peru and Hinsdale, 
to Elisha Jones, for £1460. 

No. 3. The present town of AYorthiugton, to Aaron Willard, for 
£1860. 

No. 4. The present town of Windsor, called Gageboro' at first, to 
Noah Nash, for £1430. 

No. 5. The present town of Cummington, to John Cummings, 
for £1800. 

No. 6. The present town of Savoy, to Abel Lawrence, for £1350. 

No. 7. The present town of Hawley, to Moses Parsons, for £875. 

No. 8. The present towns of Lenox and Richmond, to Josiah 
Dean, for £2550. 

No. 9. The present town of Chester, at first called Murrayfield, to 
William Williams, for £1500. 

No. 10. The present town of Rowe, to Cornelius Jones, for £380." 

THE EARLY CUSTOM OF CONVEYING TOWNSHIPS TO TENANTS IN 

COMMON. 

"When our ancestors first came to America, it was usual, in some 
of the New England states, for the legislatures' to grant township of 



32 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELB. 

land to a certain number of proprietors, as grantee's in fee, to hold as 
tenants in common; and a great portion of the lands of Massachusetts 
and Plymouth colonies were originally granted in this way by the 
colonial legislatnres." (See 2d Dana's Abridgement, p. G98 ; 4th Dana's 
Abridgement, p. 70; Angle & Ames on Corporations, c. vi. §1 ; Sulli- 
van on Land Titles, pp. 39, 40, 44-48.) 

This custom did not apply to private grants, such as have been re- 
ferred to and described. The plats of the Shelden & Clapp grant and 
of the Bolton grant were lost. Many others have been lost wholly 
or in part through inattention to the importance of their preservation. 
Those that remain are now carefully cared for in the Secretary of 
State's Department in the State House at Boston. 



CHAPTER SECOND. 

TOAVNSHIP No. 9. 

Township jSTo. 9 Avas bounded north by Chesterfield, then called 
New Hingham, and by Worthington, then called township No. 3, in 
the same group with township No. 9; west by Becket, then called 
township No 4, but not of the same group of townships with No. 9; on 
the south by Blandford and by Westfield New Addition; on the east by 
Southampton and by Northampton. It was estimated as containing 
32, 200 acres of land, including the former grants. Out of township 
No. 9 were carved the whole of the town of Chester and the whole of 
the town of Norwich, including the Green & Walker, the Williams,, 
and the Ingersoll grants. When the town of Montgomery was incor- 
porated, about half the Ingersoll grant was included. In the year 
1783 the northwest corner of this township was severed from Chester 
and became part of Middleficld, 

The Original Proprietoes of No. 9. 

This township, as we have seen, was sold by auction at Boston, June 
2d, 1762, to William Williams of Hatfield, for £1,500. For some rea- 
son, vv'hich does not appear, Williams did not take it, and it passed at 
once into tlie possession of John Chandler and Timothy Paine of 
Worcester, John Murray of Rutland and Abijah Willard of Lancaster, 
all in the county of Worcester, who took Williams' place in the trans- 
action and were recognized by the provincial government as the pur- 
chasers and original proprietors of township No. 9. They did not at 
this time receive any instrument conveying to them an absolute title 
in fee; but they took it subject to certain conditions which they were 
to fulfill as conditions precedent, and which will fully appear further 
on, called conditions of settlement. Their title was not confirmed to 
them until the year 1766. 

Names of Settlers before June 2, 1762. 

Prior to the sale of this township, nineteen settlers, with their fami- 
lies, other than settlers within the grants mentioned in the preceding 



24 A HISTORY OF MURRAY FIELD. 

chapter, liad taken possession of tracts of land witliin the limits of 
the proprietors' purcliase and had settled upon them. These persons 
were David Bolton, James Holton, James Clark, Abraham Flemniing, 
Zebulon Fuller, David Gilmore, John Gilmore, Thomas Kennedy, 
William Kennedy, Moses Hale, AVilliam Mann, Ebenezer Meacham, 
William Miller, Moses Moss, Israel Rose, David Scott, Ebenezer Web- 
ber, John Webber and Jonathan Hart Webber, These persons had 
settled near the west and the middle branches of Westfield river. The 
settlers on Ingersoll grant were in the immediate vicinity of the east 
branch. 

Leasing the Lands by Pkovincial Government. 

In 1760 the General Court of the province empowered Benjamin 
Pratt, John Worthington and Joseph Hawley to look up cases of vio- 
lation of the laws against purchasing lands of the Indians; and they 
were directed to " enter, in the name of the province, into any and 
all unappropriated lands of the province west of the Connecticut river, 
and to execute leases of any land or lands, as they might judge proper, 
to any person or persons," It does not appear how many of these set- 
tlers upon the unappropriated land of No, 9 held under these leases, 
or how many were there unlawfully, 

Hampshire County, 

Hampshire county at first comprised all the territory of the province 
of Massachusetts bay lying west of Worcester county. Berkshire 
county was established April 31st, 1761, at the same time the township 
which had been known by the name of Pontoosic was incorporated and 
named Pittsfield. Blandford, at first called Glasgow, was incorpo- 
rated in 1741, and New Hmgham was incorporated and named 
Chesterfield in 1762. Settlements and towns had sprung up all 
around township No. 9 at the time of its sale, but it was still substan- 
tiallv a wilderness, and settlers were attracted because it promised 
them homes at little cost aside from their own labor. Most of them 
were in low circumstances and brought little with them except great 
health and bodily endurance, willing hands and indomitable energy. 
Let us consider for a moment to what they came and what they had to 
contend with in this rough, wild and v/onderfully picturesque region. 

Topography of No, 9. 

It is in the midst of the Green Mountain range. The formation is 
mostly mica schist, the strata standing vertical and the strike so nearly 



A HIS TOR Y F MIJR RA YFIELD. 25 

north and south as to serve some of the ])iirposes of tlie compass. 
The higlihmds range from 1,000 feet to 1,700 feet above sea level, and 
present great diversity of surface, very little of it being level. This 
diversity of surface is the result of erosion. The great number of 
streams, mostly brooks, which find their way into the branches of 
Westfield river, have farrowed out valleys wonderfully diversified in 
depth and width. Up these valleys the settlers found it possible to 
build roads of convenient grade. Here and there in these highlands 
are hollows or basins, scooped out of the I'ocky foundations, ])erhaps 
by glaciers in remote ages, which retain the waters that come from 
melted snow, the rains, and often from springs, thus forming wet, 
swampy places, and occasionally quite large ponds. From these small 
brooks flow and make their way to larger streams, following the val- 
leys that they themselves have made. Some of the old swamps have 
become so completely filled with the accumulations of vegetable 
mould and the material washed from the surrounding surface of the 
land, that they offer to the farmer spots of rare fertility. The soil in 
this region is for the most part composed of drift, with which at the 
surface is mingled vegetable mould, and in it are myriads of bowlders 
varying in size from large erratic blocks of granite to beds of fine 
gravel. 

The settlers found this land, from the fertile lowlands to the 
cliffs of naked rock, well wooded with a thick growth of trees consist- 
ing of pine, hemlock, birch, poplar, maple, beech, chestnut, butter- 
nut, walnut, basswood, buttonball, ash, wild cherry, oak, elm and 
other Kew England forest trees; so that trees had to be felled and the 
land cleared preparatory to tillage and building. 

Westfield River and its Branches. 

The three branches of Westfield river, called east, west and middle 
branches, flow through the territory which was comprised within the 
original bounds of the township Xo. 9. The east branch extends 
through the entire width from north to south ; the middle branch 
extends from a point about two miles east of the original northwest 
corner, in a southeasterly direction, crossing the township diagonally 
and empties into the east or main branch about two miles north of 
the original Blandford line; the west branch extends from a point 
about two miles south of the original northwest corner and flows at 
first in a southeasterly and then in an easterly course for eight or 
nine miles to a point near the original east line of Blandford, where it 



26 A HISTORY OF MURK AYFIELD. 

joins the oast brunch. From this point the main river is called 
Westfield river until ic reaches the meadow lands of West Springfield 
and there it is called Agawam river. The writer of the sketch of 
Chester, in a book called the '^ History of the Connecticut Valley," 
persists in calling it *^'Agawam Eiver^' through its entire length, and 
in a note he makes the following comment: "This stream and its 
branches are often called the Westfield river, but there would be the 
same propriety in calling it Russell or Chester river, or in calling 
the Connecticut Springfield river. It should ever retain its Indian 
name." If "Agawam" were in fact its Indian name, there would be 
some force and some justice in this criticism, but such is not the fact. 
It is said by good authority that the word "Agawam'' is an Indian 
word meaning "lowland, marsh or meadow, also a place below or 
down stream with reference to some place above or upstream." For 
some distance before this stream enters Connecticut river it flows 
through low meadows and there it is called Agawam river. Perhaps 
the Indians called it the agawam part of the river. 

Westfield river and its branches are rapid streams, and during heavy 
rains they often are so swollen as to inundate some of the meadows 
through which they flow. Formerly when the soil of its watershed was 
kept moist by the shade of the forests, the earth readily absorbed water 
that came from melting snow and falling rain and retained it to flow 
off gradually by percolating through the soil, but now the water which 
falls in showers runs off rapidly from the dry, parched soil and naked 
rocks, and soon is lost in the streams and flows off, giving but little 
benefit to the soil excej)t during long rains, after which the surface 
becomes soon dried, as also the soil below the surface. That this has 
an unfavorable effect upon the fertility and productiveness of this 
region is obvious to every observing and thoughtful person. 

For many years after the first settlement of the town, these streams 
could be crossed at fordways only, and the fordways were impassable 
during high water, to the serious inconvenience and often to the 
detriment of the inhabitants. 

Along the three branches of Westfield river are frequent level spots 
of alluvial land called "interval lands," and many of them are in ter- 
races; sometimes there are terraces of a higher level composed of 
gravel and sand which may have been made during the Ghamplain 
period. These alluvial lands and terraces are much sought for by the 
farmers, many preferring them to the highlands. When faithfully 
cultivated they yield remunerative crops. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 27 

What the Early Settlers had to Contend with. 

The early settlers were poor as to money and as to goods; but they 
were rich in spirit and in fortitude. They were accustomed to hard 
fare and to subsisting upon the bare necessities of life, and were not 
afraid of the hardships of frontier life. They had no sawmills, no 
gristmills, no roads. Their first necessity was to clear the land and to 
build shelter for themselves and for their cattle. The log cabin, with- 
out glass windows and with the rudest of doors, was their shelter 
and home. To provide for themselves while clearing and prepar- 
ing land enough to raise the necessary crops for the sustenance of 
their cattle and of themselves, was a necessity not to be put aside. 
The abundance of game in the forest, fish in the streams, of berries 
and of nuts helped to make up their daily bill of fare. But they had 
chosen this region for their abiding place and they had to make the best 
of it, hoping to better their condition in a short time. If hardships 
and the necessary privations incident to frontier life was their lot on 
the one hand, it was not without compensation on the other. It was 
a wild and beautiful country and reasonably fertile. To persons wlio 
had been accustomed from childhood, as many of them had, to the 
highlands of Scotland, these wild hills and deep glens, with a dark 
forest and ragged cliffs, were sufficiently delightful reminders of their 
native land to give them a reasonable degree of contentment. That 
Blandford was settled by Scotch people is attested by the name they 
gave it — New Glasgow — and by the Scotch names borne by so many of 
the people. Several of the early settlers of townshij) No. 9 came from 
Blandford. 

General Condition of the Province in 1762. 

About the close of the year 1762, the Province of Massachusetts 
Bay was in a prosperous condition. Its population was 250,000 whites 
and 5,000 blacks. There were, including the Province of Maine, 
thirteen counties and about 240 towns. The commerce of the coun- 
try employed 600 vessels, owned chiefly in Boston and Salem, which 
were engaged in commerce with all parts of the civilized world, and 
many were engaged in the fisheries. There was an encouraging growth 
of domestic manufactures. The spinning wheel and loom were 
found in nearly every house; and fabrics, both woolen and linen, 
woven by the wives and daughters of Massachusetts farmers, furnished 
comfortable clothing independent of foreign supplies. AVealth was 



28 A H [STORY OF BIURRAYFIELD. 

rapidly increasing in the colony, education was advancing, publishing 
houses were engaged in diffusing the productions of both native and 
foreign authors, some newspapers were published, and the colonists 
were a reading people. It is a noteworthy fact that many copies of 
Blackstone's Commentaries were sold in the colony, and the work was 
'extensively read by persons outside of the legal profession. Speeches 
of popular orators and addresses of the General Court were sent into 
every town; and the writings of Chauncy, of Mayhew and of Edwards 
were read in nearly every house. There were 530 churches in New 
England and the worshippers were numerous. Matters of public con- 
cern were freely discussed from the pulpit, and there was a lively 
interest among the people in all matters pertaining to the public weal. 
One hundred and forty-two years had passed since the landing of the 
Pilgrims. Springfield had been settled 126 years, and there had 
grown up in the Conneticut valley many thrifty towns and settlements. 

FiKST Division of Lots Surveyed. 

The propietors of township No. 9 emi)loyed Eldad Taylor and 
Charles Baker, two surveyors residing in Westfield, to survey and lay 
out the first division of lots in the township. They did this work in 
October and November, 17G2, and tliey surveyed and laid out about 
120 lots, most of them containing 108 acres each, and- furnished a plat 
of the territory so surveyed to the proj^rietors. These lots were laid 
out in tiers extending N. 10"^ W. from Bland ford line to the north 
line of township No. 9. This division of lots comprised nearly all the 
land lying between the west and middle branches of Westfield river. 

In gathering historical facts few things are more satisfactory than 
original documents and records made and kept at the time of the 
events to which they relate. The records of the doings of the origi- 
nal proprietors, kept by their own clerk, begin with the following 
statement: 

Begixxing of the Proprietors' Kecords. 

"No. 9. A township lying; west of Southampton containing about 24,700 
acres exclusive of grants, and of 250 acres now in possession of John Bolton, 
and bounded north on New Hingham and to run from the southwest 
corner of said New flingham to the northeast corner of No. 4; then on the 
east line of No. 4 to the southeast corner of said No. 4; and from thence the 
same course to Blandford line; then to bound south on Blandford and West- 
field; and eist on Southampton, to William Williams for 1,500 pounds, who 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 29 

gave it up to John Chandler, John Murray, Abijah "Willard, and Timothy 
Paine from whom have received twenty pounds and their bond for 1480 
pounds. " 

" The above-written is extracted from a report of a committee of the General 
Court, accepted by the same, and consented to by the governor. 

Mr. Jno. Cotton, D. Secty. 
Copy examined per TiMO. Paine, Prop. Clerk." 

Pkoprietors' First Meeting. 

The first meeting of the original proprietors was held pursuant to a 
warrant issued by Josiuh D wight, a justice of the peace^, in response 
to the following request: 

"To Josiah Dwight, Esqr. one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the 
county of Hampshire. The subscriber.^, proprfetors of a township of land sold 
by the province to us in June last called No. 9, lying adjoining to Blandford, 
Westfield, Southampton, etc., in ihe county of Hampshire, desire you would 
issue your warrant for the calling a meeting of said proprietors to be held on 
the 5th day of January next at 10 o'clock forenoon at the house of Mr. Wil- 
liam Lyman, Innholder, in Northampton in said county, to act on the 
following articles, viz: 

1. To choose a moderator, proprietors' clerk, & treasurer, & to raise money 
for defraying the charges of lotting out said township & tor the settlers 
to draw their lots & agree upon the method for calling proprietors' meetings 
for the future. 

Worcester, November 18th, 17G2. 



Abijah Willard, \ For themselves 

lIMO. 1 AINE, ) other proprietors." 



A warrant was issued as follows: 



"Hampshire ss. To Timothy Paine, Esq., one of the above proprietors. 
[l. s.] Agreebly to the above request you are hereby required to notify the 
proprietors of the above-said township that they meet & assemble at the 
time & place above mentioned to act on the foregoing articles. Notice of 
which meeting is to be given by advertising the same in the several Boston 
weekly newspapers forty days at: least before said meeting agreeably to law. 
Hereof fail not «& make return of this warrant with your doings thereon to 
said proprietors at said meeting. Given under my hand & seal this 20th 
day of November A. D. 1762, & third year of his majesty's reign. 

JosiAH Dwight, Just. Pacis." 

Tlie record of the meeting is as follows: 

"At a meeting of the proprietors of a township of land sold by the 
Province in June last to John Chandler, John Murray, Abijah Willard, & 
Timo. Paine, Esqrs. called No. 9., alias Murray Field lying adjoining to 
Blandford, Westfield, Southampton, &c., by warrant from the worshipful 



30 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 



Josiah Dwight, Esq. at Northampton in the county of Hampshire at the 
house of Uapt. William Lyman on Wednesday the 5th day of January 1763, 
after due warning. 

Voted. That John Chandler be moderator. 

Voted. That Timo. Paine be proprietors' clerk. 

Voted. That John Murray be proprietors' treasurer. 

Voted. That the settlers in said township be admitted upon the conditions 
following, viz: 

That each one within the space of three years commencing from the first of 
June last build a dwelling house on their lot of the following dimensions, 
viz: Twenty-four feet long, eighteen feet wide, & seven feet stud, & have 
seven acres of land well cleared & fenced & brought to English grass or 
plowed, & actually settle with family on the same & continue such 
family thereon for the space of six years, & shall also within three years 
from this time actually settle a Prostestant minister of the Gospel there & 
pay one-sixth part of the charge thereof, & that each settler have 100 acres of 
land as an incouragement, & that they give bond to the treasurer of said 
proprietors in the sum of fifty pounds conditioned to perform said conditions, 
& that upon their complying & performing said conditions the said lots be 
confirmed to them, their heirs, & assigns forever. 

Voted. That the following persons be admitted settlers upon the following 
hundred acre lots & conditions aforesaid, viz. : 

The Lots Drawx January 5, 1763. 

Voted. That the following persons be admitted settlers upon the 
followincT hundred acre lots & couditious aforesaid, viz: 



David Bolton, No. 2 


Thomas Kennedy, No. 68 


Asa Noble, ' 


4 


Robert Blair, • ' 


' 70 


Thos. Noble, Jr., 


6 


James Clark, ' 


' 71 


John Gilmore, ' 


8 


Absalom Blair, ' 


' 72 


John Woods, ' 


' 11 


Israel Rose, ' 


' 75 


Alexander Gordon, ' 


' 13 


James Fairman, • ' 


' 80 


John Hammon, 


1.5 


Abner Smith, ' 


' 82 


John Lyman, 


' 17 


David Gilmore, ' 


' 84 


John Scott, Jr. , ' 


19 


William English, ' 


' 86 


John Smith, ' 


' 21 


Nathan Mann, ' 


' 87 


Benja. Matthews, ' 


' 23 


John Boyes, ' 


' 90 


John Laccore, ' 


' 25 


Andrew English, ' 


' 93 


John Mclntire, 


' 27 


William Mann, ' 


' 94 


David Scott, ' 


' 32 


Jonathan Webber, ' 


' 98 


Ebenezer Webber, ' 


' 33 


John Brown, ' 


' 100 


Elias Lyman, ' 


' 35 


Thomas Morcton, * 


' 103 


Levi Woods, ' 


' 38 


Samuel Elder, ' 


' 104 



No. 


106 




108 




110 




114 




43 




112 




116 




37'' 



A HmrORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 31 

Gideon Mathew?, No. 41 William Campbell, Jr., 

William Kennedy, " 45 William Moore, 

Glass Cochran, " 49 Thomas Mclntire, 

John Crooks, " 51 Paul Kingston, 

AbrahaTi Flemming, " 53 John Wood of Lancaster, 

James Fairman, " 54 Nathan Rose, 

David Flemming, " 56 Jesse Johnson, 

John Webber, " 64 James Black, 

John Crawford, " 66 

The remainder of the record of this meeting is unimportant for tlie 
purposes of this history. Only thirteen of the nineteen settlei^s found 
on this territory by the proprietors when they took possession, were 
permitted to draw lots; of these only seven were permitted to hold one 
liundred acres, where they hud begun their improvements; six were 
permitted only to draw lots Avith the other settlers, their wishes to 
retain the lands where they had begun improvement being disregarded 
by the proprietors; the remaining six of the nineteen settlers, James 
Bolton, Zebulon Fuller, Moses Hale, Ebenezer Meacham, William 
Miller, and Moses Moss were neither permitted to keeji the lands 
upon which they had settled nor to draw lots with the others. 
Fuller, Meacham, and Miller remained and purchased farms ; the 
other three went elsewhere. 

The Policy of the Proprietors in scattering the Settlers 

OVER different PARTS OF THE ToWN. 

It appears to have been the policy of the proprietors to so locate the 
settlers as to secure the settlement and cultivation of lots in all parts 
of the First Division. The wishes and convenience of the settlers were 
not consulted. Settlements had been begun within the territory of 
Ingersoll grant, which the proprietors thought a more desirable loca- 
tion than the territory sold to them. It was more accessible to West- 
field, as well as to other more settled places in this part of the province. 
Much of the laud lay near the river, was comparatively level and easily 
cultivated. Roads could more easily be built. The advantages of that 
part of the township which lies along West Branch, in the vicinity of 
what was afterwards known as Chester Factories, were offset by its 
remoteness from such roads as had then been established leading to 
the more settled towns. The proprietors owned but little available 
lands in the vicinity of Ingersoll grant. To make a successful settle- 
ment of their lands they were obliged to seek that part of the 
township which constituted the highlands, and which comprised 



32 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

a strip of territory about tliree or four miles wide lying immediately 
west of the Middle Branch and extending from the south to the 
north lines of the township. While this served the purposes of the 
proprietors, it was in many ways unfortunate for the settlers. They 
were obliged to go to and from their homes as best they could, the 
distance from one ])oint of settlement to another being not only bur- 
densome but the way also difficult. The proprietors neither laid out 
nor built any roads; they only made an allowance for roads by adding 
two acres and eighty I'ods to their one hundred acre lots. When the 
settlers.came to the building of roads they found it impracticable to 
locate them where there would be the least grade or the shortest dis- 
tance. Farm buildings had already been built and homes established 
where the proprietors had dictated. The people were too poor to 
abandon their homes and build anew, and so the roads must be laid 
to accommodate the location of their houses. The maintenance of 
tnese roads, as well as the original locations of them, has ever been a 
burden upon the town, entailing the original disadvantages upon suc- 
ceeding generations; so that the citizens of what is known as Chester 
Hill still find themselves at great disadvantage in this regard. Their 
most pressing need is good roads of easy grade, and such roads are 
possible even in this hilly town. It is noticeable that the farms earli- 
est abandoned are those most difficult of access. There are many 
good farms within the limits of the First Division of lots in township 
No. 9. Men have prospered and, despite many disadvantages, still do 
prosper upon these farms. The land is as strong in fertility as any in 
Massachusetts — stronger even than the alluvial lands bordering the 
Connecticut river. Nearly all the valuable crops grown in Massachu- 
setts can be successfully cultivated here. Ail the ordinary fruits of 
New England, even peaches and grapes, are grown abundantly wher- 
ever the attempt is skillfully made. The atmo&phere upon the high- 
lands is as pure and healthful as man breathes in any part of the 
world. Above the fogs, the dampness, the cutting frosts, and the 
sweltering heat of the lowlands bordering the rivers, the summers 
are delightful, and the winters, although possibly more subject to 
strong winds than among the lowlands, are more even and are far less 
unwholesome tlnm in the valleys, exposed as they are to sh.irp frosts 
and the cliills attending the frequent thaws and the dampness, which 
are inseparable from the lowlands. Why should not these highlands 
be nnu'e populous? What ex})lanation is more forcible than the 
existence of so many breakneck roads, and the lack of roads of easy 
grade — the building of which is, no doubt, practicable? 



A HISTORY OF MURRAY FIELD. 33 

Where Some of the Settlers Came FRo>r. 

It is difficult and perhaps practically impossible at this time to as- 
certain where all these settlers and purchasers of lots in township No. 
came from. Most of theni were adventurers seeking cheap lands, 
and most of them were poor. The Boltons came to this township 
from Blandford, and so did John Crooks, John Scott, Jr., and Glass 
Cochran. Andrew and William English, and probably the Gilmores, 
came from Pelham. Elias and John Lyman lived in Northampton 
and never settled in township No. 9. Elias Lyman gave his lot to his 
two sons, Stephen and Timothy, who, packing their worldly effects 
into a chest and carrying it between them, one hand grasping a handle of 
the chest and the other an axe, made their way on foot to the high- 
lands of No. 9. Here they made their homes and became useful and 
honored citizens. The farms which their industry changed from a 
forest to fertile fields are now owned by their descendents, whose lives 
have reflected credit to the name they bear. Stephen Lyman took for 
his wife Anna Blair of Weston. Were Absalom and Robert Blair her 
relatives, and did they come from Weston? Timothy Lyman married 
Dorothy Kinney. John Boyes, John Woods, and probably James 
Black and Levi Woods came from Rutland, the town in which John 
Murray lived. John Wood came from Lancaster where Abijali Willard 
lived. Jesse Johnson and John Ilannum came from Southampton. 
Abner and John Smith came from Northampton. Tradition says that 
John was a man of extraordinary physical strength and endurance, and 
that when he came to the highlands of No. 9 he came all the way on foot, 
carrying on his back a five-pail iron kettle. His first wife, Abigail, 
died August 12th, 1707, and the headstone at her grave in the ceme- 
tery on Chester Hill is the oldest in town. He married for his second 
wife Abiline Cors, November lOtli, 1767. Gideon Matthews was a 
resident of Torrington, Conn., and the son of Benjamin Matthews of 
that place, who afterwards moved to Westfield, but never resided in 
township No. 9, although he drew a lot in the first division: but 
Gideon settled in No. 9. Israel liose came from Granville and settled 
near the Middle Branch of Westfield river as early as 17G0. His 
wife was the daughter of Benjamin Matthews. It is probable that 
Nathan Rose was his brother. The Nobles were Westfield men, but 
never became residents of No. 9, nor did they fulfill the conditions 
upon which they drew their lots. Ebenezer Meacham came from 
Enfield, Conn. It does not appear where the Webbers came from. 
Jonathan Plart Webber was a single man, and in 1771 he took for his 



34 A H/STURY OF MURltAYFlELD. 

wife Keziali Cooley of Springfield. Timothy Smith came from Wall- 
ingford, Conn., and on the 5th of October, 1763, he received froni the 
proprietors a deed of 500 acres of land located between the East and 
Middle Branches of Westfield river, abutting mostly npon the Middle 
Branch and included the southerly jiart of Goss Hill. The price was 
£225, for which he gave his bond to the proprietors and secured it by 
ii mortgage upon his 500 acres. 

William Miller, who was excluded by the proprietors at the drawing 
of lots in January, 1763, purchased 100 acres of land toward the north 
part of the township, at the confluence of the east branch and a brook 
for many years called Miller's brook, but now called Little river. 
The deed was dated November 3d, 1763. This land was interval land 
for the most j^art, is still owned by his descendents, and is considered 
a valuable farm at this time. The price was £35. 

John Boyes, Levi Woods, John Woods of Rutland, John Wood of 
Lancaster, John Crooks and Glass Cochran gave ujj or otherwise dis- 
posed of their lots. They did not become residents of the new town- 
ship. Malcom Henry came from Oakham early in 1703, and on the 
25th of April, 1704, took from John Woods of Rutland a deed of his 
lot No. 11, and settled upon it and built a house and set up the first 
inn in that part of the township. It was located southeasterly from 
the meeting-house, a short distance southerly from the road leading 
to Littleville. The old cellar-place and the very deep well were filled 
\\\) recently by the present owner of the land. 

Settlers Upox Ixgersoll Graxt. 

Samuel Webb, son of David Ingersoll, grantee, came to township 
No. 9 and settled on land that he inherited from his father. Nath- 
aniel Weller and Ebenezer King, both Westfield men, came and settled 
near East Branch. But these people had nothing to do with the 
original proprietors in tiie matter of their holdings. February 2d, 
1763, Benjamin Matthews, then of Westfield, sold to Amaziah 
Dickinson of Amherst, the north end of the tracts which he bought 
of Weller, and described it as located in a place called "Westfield River 
Branches, otherwise called Murray Field, otherwise called number 
Nine," but Dickinson did not become a resident of this township. 

John Bolton resided Just over the line in Blandford on the land 
that was conveyed to him by John Foye, one of the original 
proprietors of Blandford. The land which Benjamin Matthews 
conveyed to his son Gideon, having been re-conveyed to him, he 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELI). 35 

sold to John Mosely of AVestfield, for sixty pounds, by deed dated 
February 6th, 1764. 

A deed, remarkable for its indefiniteuess, was given by Samuel 
Webbs, then of Scituate, to Job Clapp of the same place, April 12, 
1763, in consideration of twenty-one pounds. The description runs 
as follows: 

" Five hundred acres of land lying and being in the County of Hampshire, 
part of a large tract of land which I own in partnership with my brother 
Thomas Webbs as tenants in common & undivided, the said 500 acres to be 
as good for quality as the whole tract is one acre with another. The whole 
of said tract of land is particularly bounded & described in a deed of bargain 
& sale which David Ingersoll gave to my father, Thomas Webb, bearing 
date April 7th, 1738." 

The first Houses Built by the Settlers. 

None of the first houses built by the settlers now remain. There 
were people living a few years since who saw some of these old houses 
and remembered how they were constructed. Many of the old cellar- 
places remain and mark the spot where the houses stood.. The cellar 
walls and the foundati(?ns of the houses were made of rough stones 
and without mortar. Around many of the old cellar-places lilacs and 
rosebushes now grow and blossom; these are fragrant and beautiful 
mementos that were planted by female hands as expressions of their 
love for the beautifu], and were emblematic of the refinement and 
sweet influence of mothers and sisters whose loving and tender sym- 
pathy shed a holy fragrance in those old homes. These old houses 
were rudely constructed. A huge stone chimney was built up through 
the center of the house with a spacious fireplace in each of the prin- 
cipal rooms, and in cold weather they were liberally sujDplied with fuel, 
which was cheap and close at hand; and even then often it was only with 
the aid of screens and high-backed settles that the inmates of these 
houses could keep themselves comfortable while hovering round the 
blazing fire. Few of these houses could boast of glass windows. The 
doors were large and heavy and fastened with great wooden latches, 
which were lifted from the outside by pulling a string called the latch- 
string, passing through a small hole in the door just above the latch. 
At night the door was made secure by drawing in the latchstring. To 
say, "You will find the latchstring out," was an invitation to come 
and an assurance of welcome. 



36 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

CONDITIOXS OF THE EaRLY SeTTLERS AS TO HOUSEHOLD 
CONVEKIENCES. 

In these days of gaslight and of electricity, tallow candles are re- 
garded with contempt, and one would commiserate the misfortune of 
those who are compelled to use them; hut in the days of these early 
settlers they were a luxury, almost the acme of household convenience. 
A lighted pine knot served them for a torch to go about at night. 
But the bright fires in their ample fireplaces lighted up their apart- 
ments more cheerfully than are the rural homes of to-day. The pres- 
ervation of the household fire was a matter of great concern. To 
lose it involved a Journey to the nearest neighbor to borrow live 
coals. The nearest neighbor was often at quite a distance — half a 
mile or more. The tinder box was not always available. It is said 
of one of the early settlers that he brought the household fire Avith 
him, when he came with his family, carefully and successfully pre- 
serving it during a journey occupying several days, and it was pre- 
served, without once going out, for many years. Yet these people 
were neither fire worshipers nor ancestor worshipers. 

Whatever furniture and other articles for domestic uses were at 
their command, must have been rude enough. But few of these 
articles, if any, have been preserved. Of clocks perliaps there were 
none; at any rate, they were in but few houses. People unused to 
timepieces learn to judge quite accurately of the hour of day by the 
experience of long observation, although unable to clearly explain how 
they do it. The noon hour was determined by a noon-mark cut upon 
the doorsill or upon the window sill, serving in fair weather like a 
dial to inform the housewife when to sonnd the dinner signal. The 
poverty of these oeople in ITGo, in the matter of household conven- 
iences, may be estimated from their condition in this regard a quarter 
of a century later. The late John J. Cook of Huntington, in relating 
to me the experience of his father, Pearly Cook, who came to this 
township about twenty-five years later than the time we are consider- 
ing, told me that his father came ;ilone, a yotmg, unmarried man, 
and was obliged to build a rude house at first and live like any front- 
iersman. Neither p;iils nor pans were to be had; and so he cut up 
the butt of a tree into short blocks which he converted mto troughs, 
of which one served for a milk j)ail and others for milk pans. 
In the more thickly settled part at the east branch of Westtield 
river, two or three miles distant from his house, he succeeded in pro- 
curing a large iron spoon which served him for ni.uiy purposes; with 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELT). 



37 



it he skimmed his "pans" of milk and stirred the cream and made it 
into batter, the iron spoon serving for a churn dasher and for a pad- 
dle to work the butter with, and for many other uses. His other 
appliances for housekeeping were equally rude. But he was as well 
oif as many of his neighbor^. 

Minister Lot and the first Meeting-house. 

Of the lots which were laid out for the first division, No. 18, being 
centrally located, of good elevation, and overlooking a good deal of 
the surrounding country, and otherwise well adapted to the purpose, 
was laid out as the " Minister Lot." It contained 100 acres of land be- 
sides the usual allowance for roads, and a plat of "eight acres for a 
meeting-house place, training field and burying place" was laid out on 
the south side toward its westerly end. 






Minister Let 






/ O' 



ZJIc. 



Within the limits of these eight acres is the present meeting-house, 
schoolhouse, and the cemetery. The first meeting-house was erected, 
but not completed, in the year 1767, and stood a few rods south of 
the j)i'esent one. The foundation, or underpinning, remained to mark 
the spot and show its size upon the ground until a few years since, 
when nearly all the underpinning was removed and the stones used 
for other purposes, leaving merely a ditch to show where the founda- 
tion was upon Avhich stood the first meeting-house in the town of 
Murrayfield. It was forty-five feet long by forty wide and twenty- 
foot posts. The frame was set up and boarded and shingled, the 
lower floor laid and the doors made by the original proprietors, Chan- 
dler, Murray, and Paine being the proprietors' committee to attend to 
this duty, which was one of the conditions of their purchase. The 
house was j^hiced north and south, the front door opening to the 



38 A HISTORY OF MVRRAYFIELD. 

north, and there were two smaller doors, one on the east and the other 
on tlie west side. Each of the proprietors of the township reserved 
a pew spot on the lower floor. John Murray's was seven feet long- 
by six feet wide and was located at the right of the front door. Tim- 
othy Paine's was of the same dimensions and was located at the left 
of the front door. John Chandler's was eight feet long by six feet 
wide and was located at the right of the east door. Abijah Willard's 
was also eight feet long by six feet wide and was located at the left of 
the west door. The pew spot of James Otis, who had been admitted one 
of the proprietors of the township, was at the right of the west door 
and was six feet square. Several years intervened before this meet- 
ing-house was completed. At first the town was not able to finish it, 
so the work was done little at a time, and the windows were put in 
one at a time as the town could afford; so several years passed before 
they were all in. The windows were boarded u)) during the winter. 
In this building the town meetings were held. The records of 
town meetings indicate that sometimes the meeting-house was not suf- 
ficiently comfortable for even a town meeting, for the meeting would 
be opened and a moderator chosen; then immediately it adjourned to 
a private house and there finished the business of the meeting. This 
was entirely practicable, for the qualification for voting cut off all 
whose valuation fell below £20. These adjournments never occurred 
except in the winter. The religious meetings also were held sometimes 
at private houses, for there were no means of heating the church. 
Preaching on the Sabbath was also held at the public inn. 

A new generation of men has grown up and passed middle life since 
the time when all the enrolled militiamen were required to turn out 
once or twice a year, Avith the arms and equipments required by law, 
for drill and inspection. In recent times so many grew to regard this 
as an unnecessary burden that the law was modified to accommodate 
this aversion to a duty which our ancestors regarded as absolutely 
necessary to safet}^ and good government. The disposition to shirk 
public duties which are attended with personal inconvenience is a sin 
whose fruits will sooner or later be visited upon our children. At 
one time two military companies were maintained contemporaneously 
within the present limits of Chester. The regard for military honors 
which prevailed in the olden time is well attested by the frequent elec- 
tion to offices of trust and honor, in both church and state, of men who 
rejoiced in the right to prefix to their names the titles colonel, cap- 
tain, lieutenant, ensign, and sergeant. Training days were a break in 
the monotony of rural life, such as cattle-show days are to the modern 



A HISTORY OF JIURRAYFrELD. 3& 

rural population. This little plat of eight acres was tlie scene of many 
stirring events in the early history of the town. To this spot all the town 
folks came to do and to receive those things which men do and seek 
for the preservation of society, for the elevation and refinement of 
social life, and for consolation in those afflictions which are common 
to all. The church, the schoolhouse, the training field, the cemetery; 
what a wealth of memory centers here I Upon the headstones you 
may read the names of men and women who were active in the events 
which transpired within these eight acres in years long since passed, 
and who were loved and honored in their day and generation. 

The Township named Murrayfield. 

The proprietors named this township Murrayfield. They were 
much disturbed and disappointed by reason of the former grants out 
of this territory. Their discontent found expression in their memo- 
rial to the General Court of the province, in December, 1763, repre- 
senting the facts of their purchase for £1,500; that they had laid out 
part of the township into lots and expended large sums of fhoney to 
bring forward the settlement. They set forth the fact of their dis- 
appointment at finding the township so uneven and mountainous, and 
described it as "divided into three parts by three very rapid, rocky 
rivers; the banks of which rivers are so steep and rocky that it is 
almost impossible to pass from one side of said rivers to the other. "^ 

Proprietors' Complaint to the General Court. 

They complained that about 7,500 acres of the best land had been 
taken up in former grants and by a pond covering about 500 acres; 
also, that they found nineteen settlements begun upon the best of the 
land, and that they had not the power to turn them off, and that if they 
had the power it would be attended with great trouble and expense, and 
so they were obliged to give them 100 acres of land each where tliey 
had begun to settle; that the only place they could find to lay out the 
town plat was upon a very high mountain, and that it would always 
be extremely difiicult to get to it, and that they must necessarily ex- 
pend great sums of money in making roads over mountains and in 
building expensive bridges over the three rapid rivers. Wherefore they 
prayed that a part of the sum paid by them for the township be re- 
funded, or else that they be recompensed by the grant of a piece of 
province land near to or adjoining the township, either in Hampshire 
or Berkshire counties, "to enable them to make roads and bridges in 
said township." 



40 



A HISTOJRY OF MURRAYFIELD. 



The Peoprietoes obtain an Additional Grant of Land. 

Ou the 3d of February, 1764, the General Court "ordered that 
1,200 acres of the unappropriated lands of the province be granted to 
the petitioners, and that they present a plan thereof to this court 
within twelve months from this time for their confirmation, which is 
in full consideration for the complaint made in the petition." April 
26th, 1764, the proprietors presented to the General Court the plan 
of a tract of land containing 1,200 acres, located in Hampshire county. 
It was bounded east by No. 4 of the Narragansett grants; north by 
Huntstown, afterwards incorporated under the name of Ashfield; and 
west and south by province land. This tract of 1,200 acres is within 
the present bounds of Cummington. In the "History of the Connec- 
ticut Valley," published in 1879, it is erroneously stated that this tract 
was west of Murrayficld, township No. 4, that was afterwards incor- 
porated under the name of Becl<et, being mistaken for Ko. 4 of the 
Narragansett grants, which were made to thedescendents of those who 
were in j;he Narragansett fight with t!ie IiiiliaiiF. 



W. 20"" N 



W 













/200JIcreS, Surveyed 



E. 20" 5 



A HISTORY OF 2IURRAYF1ELD. 41 

The original proprietors never built any pnblic Avays within the 
limits of Murrayfield, nor any bridge over either of the " three very 
rapid, rocky rivers" mentioned in their petition. Their conduct in 
the matter of building roads and bridges can best be told in the lan- 
guage of a memorial to the .General Court by the people of Murrayfield 
and Norwich in January, 1779. 

Conduct of the Pkopkietoks in the Matter of Bridges. 

After representing the absolute necessity for a bridge over East 
Branch at the place where Norwich bridge was afterwards built, the 
memorial sets forth "That in the year 1764 there was granted by 
the Honorable General Court of this state unto Timothy Paine, Esq., 
and others, the proprietors of Murrayfield, 1,200 acres of land adjoin- 
ing to No. 0, for the extraordinary cost they, the said proprietors of 
Murrayfield, said they had been at in building bridges across said 
river and its branches, and in maki»g roads in Murrayfield, as was 
represented by them in a petition to the General Court which is to be 
seen on record in the Secretary's office, which cost they, the said pro- 
prietors, were never at, neither did they ever build a bridge, nor were 
they at any cost in building one, or in making roads, either directly 
or indirectly; as there were no bridges ever built across said river or 
its branches in Norwich or Murrayfield, and as said petitioners did, 
soon after they had got the town incorporated, raise the price of their 
lands to such an extravagant jjrice that it hindered people from buying 
in said town, and as a number of the proprietors of said Murrayfield 
have for a number of years past gone'off to the enemy, so that people 
who would have been glad to have purchased their farms in town 
could not buy because said proprietors could not be found, Avhich has 
been a great hindrance to the toAvn's settling; and tlie people that 
came first into toAvn Avere many of them Ioav and poor in the world, 
and always have had a great many roads and of great length to make 
and maintain in a new and rough country, which in a great measure 
was occasioned by the proprietors fixing their settling lots in every 
part of the town, which necessarily made more roads in the town to- 
be made and kept in repair, Avhich has kept the people low and 
behindhand. 

" Therefore we pray your Honors that some method may be devised 
that a bridge may be built across said river and its branches either by 
said grant of land Avhich the proprietors got granted to them for 
services they never did, or out of their estates, or any other Avay your 
honors in vour wisdom shall see most fit." 



43 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

Notice of this petition was ordered to be given to Timothy Piiine, 
who appears to have remained loyal to his country. Chandler, Murray 
and Willard left the country as tories, and were of those who were by 
law forbidden to return. 

In support of the statements made in their memorial, the i>etitioners 
obtained and laid before the General Court the affidavits of Stephen 
Lyman, Gideon Matthews, James Clark, John Smith and William 
Miller, who were among the first settlers of ]\Iurrayfield, who in said 
affidavit say ''that in the year of our Lord 1762 the proprietors of No. 
9, known by the name of Mnrrayfield, proposed to admit sixty settlers 
to draw for lots in said townshij? of one hundred acres each, including 
those that had begun on said lands before the purchase. The number 
of those on the land before the proprietors' purchase were nineteen 
persons, viz.: Zebulon Fuller, James Clark, John Webber, Thomas 
Kennedy, William Mann, David Bolton, John Gilmore, Israel .Rose, 
Moses Moss, Ebenezer Meachanij.AVilliam Miller, David Scott, Ebe- 
nezer Webber, Jonathan Hart Webber, William Kenned}', Abraham 
Flemming, Moses Hale, James Bolton, David Gilmore. Seven of the 
above men were allowed to hold 100 acres where they had before begun 
to labor, on the conditions of a bond as the other settlers were under. 
Six of the nineteen were allowed only to draw lots with the other 
settlers promiscuously. The other six were not allowed by said proprie- 
tors the privilege of drawing lots with the other settlers, nor of hold- 
ing their lands by their being on before their purchase." After recit- 
ing the conditions of the bond, the affidavit proceeds: "The settlers 
were under no obligations to do anything toward making roads or 
bridges, neither have said proj)rietors laid out any cost to make roads 
or bridges in said town since the settlement of the town. Only 
thirty-one of the sixty settlers have had lots given them by said pro- 
prietors. There is no pond in said township, excepting the pond that 
is mostly in Green & Walker's grant. According to the best of our 
judgment the former grants are no better lands than the township is 
taken together." 

Signed by 

" Stephen Lymax. 
Gideon Matthews, 
James Clark, 
John Smith, 
William Miller. 
Hampshire ss. Feby 10th, 17T9. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 43 

Then the within named Steplien Lyman, Gideon Matthews, James 
Clark, Jolm Smith & William Miller, after being carefully examined 
& cautioned to testify the truth, made oath that the within deposi- 
tion according to the best of their knowledge contains the truth and 
nothing but the truth. Beiore me, 

Abxer Morgan", Justice of the Peace." 

Timothy Paine appeared and made an able effort to defend the i^ro- 
prietors. He claimed that the proprietors had done their part in the 
matter of making roads and bridges, inasmuch as they had given, at 
the time they assigned lots to the settlers, the necessary lands for high- 
ways. He denied that the proprietors, in their petition to the Gen- 
eral Court in 1764, said that they had built a single bridge across said 
river, or ever made any roads in said town. He then reiterated the 
substance of their petition, and annexed a copy of it taken from the 
proprietors' book; and he claimed the extraordinary prosperity of the 
town was due to the proprietors, and denied the charge that they 
raised the prices of their land to an extravagant price after the incor- 
poration of the town. He averred " that all the proprietors except one 
carried on settlements, and some of them had the greatest improve- 
ments of any in the place. And their improvements were taxed with 
other inhabitants in said town and did their part in making bridges 
and roads." 

He claimed that the scattering of the settlers, as the petitioners 
stated, was for the best interest of the settlers themselves. He also 
claimed "that the 1,200 acres of land granted the proprietors lay 
without the lands of any town, and at the time the grant was made 
was looked upon as of little value, and, according as lands were sold 
at that time, not Avortli more than sufficient to recompense the pro- 
prietors for the other complaints mentioned in their petition on which 
said grant was founded, exclusive of making roads and bridges." 

He represented lastly: "That by the late law for taxing non-resident 
proprietors^ lands, the proprietors of Murrayfield have been taxed in 
a greater proportion than any other new town in the neighborhood of 
Murrayfield; and the inhabitants of said town have had the benefit 
of said taxes, and they can afford to build bridges and make roads. "^ 

The General Court decided in favor of the petitioners by a vote of 
31 for to 19 against them; and passed an act, June 17th, 1779, that 
the bridge be built at the expense of the original proprietors. The 
bridge was built, and several lots belonging to Timuthy Paine were 
sold to pay the expense. 



44 A HfSTOEl" OF MURRAYFIELD. 

James Otis Admitted to be a Peopkietor, 

In June, 1763, James Otis of Barnstable was admitted to a share in 
township No. 9, as one of its proprietors, by a deed, of which the 
following is a copy: 

" Whereas John Chandler of "Worcester, John Murray of Rutland, and. 
Timothy Paine of Worcester, Esqrs. all of the county of Worcester, are inter- 
ested in three fourths of a tract of Itvnd lying in the county of Hampshire, con- 
taining about 24,700 acres exclusive of grants & of 250 acres in the posses- 
sion of John Bolton, said tract being bounded north on New Hingham & to 
run from the south west corner of New Hingham to the north east corner of 
No. 4; thenc3 on the line of No. 4, & from thence in the same course to Bland- 
ford line; thence to bound south on Blandford & Westfield, & east on South- 
ampton; which tract of land lies in common & undivided, except such part 
thereof as hath been given away to encourage the settlement of said town. 
And whereas the tract of land was sold in June last by a committee of the 
General Court of the Province of Massachusetts Bay to the said John Chand- 
ler, John Murray, Timotby Paine, &i Abijah Willard of Lancaster, Esqrs. 
upon conditions of their fulfilling certain conditions of settlement as may 
appear by the vote of the General Court. Now be it known that the said 
John Chandler, John Murray, & Timothy Paine in consideration of the sum of 
£235 lawful money paid unto us by James Otis of Barnstable in the county of 
Barnstable, Esqr. the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, do by these 
presents so far as in us lies give, grant, demise, & quit unto him, the said 
James Otis, his heirs & assigns, all our right in & unto one fifth of three 
fourths of said tract of land as it lies in common & undivided, excepting 
what hath been given away to encourage settlers as aforesaid, and the public 
lands in said township reserved for schools, first settled minister, & min- 
istry. The said James Otis performing his proportional part of all duties & 
obligations of settlement laid on said township with the other proprietors. 
To have & to hold the hereby quitted & released premises to him, the said 
James Otis, upon the conditions aforesaid to be by him, his heirs, & assigns 
held in as full a manner as the said John Chandler, John Murray, & Timothy 
Paine might have held the same by virtue of the original purchase, in June 
last. 

"In witness whereof the said John Chandler, John Murray, & Timothy Paine 
have hereunto set their hands & seals this tenth day of June A. D. seventeen 
hundred & sixty-three. 

John Chandler, & seal. 

John Murray, & seal. 

TiMO. Paine, & seal." 



CLIAPTER THIRD. 

The Old Road from East Branch to the Meeting-house 

OR Center, 

A few rods southerly from the point where the highway turns off 
up the valley of the Middle Branch of Westfield river, a road branches 
from the main highway and extends westerly to Moose mountain, 
so-called, and on up the hillside in th^ valley of a brook to Chester 
Center. For the distance of about a quarter of a mile from the foot 
of Moose mountain the road is very steep and more dreaded by team- 
sters than any other road in the neighborhood for some miles around. 
iVt the top of this steep pitch and on the north side of the road is an old 
cellar-place by the side of which but a few years since stood a Lombardy 
poplar, a prominent landmark. This tree now lies upon the ground 
in a state of decay, haviug fallen several years since; but it is replaced 
by a younger one which sprouted up from the old root and bids fair to 
rival its parent if spared by the woodsman's axe. On this spot stood 
the dwelling house of the David Scott who, January 5th, 1763, drew the 
lot upon which this house stood. Here is a nearly level tract of fertile 
land containing several acres, sheltered on the north by a mountain 
called " Little Moose,'' and sloping gently toward the east and afford- 
ing a chaming view in the direction of East Branch and beyond down 
the glen toward Russell, through which Westfield river flows. Near 
this cellar-place the old road can be traced toward the east until it 
becomes lost at the edge of the bank of the "dugway," under which 
lies the present highway. In the other direction the road can be 
traced winding off in a northwesterly course for half a mile or more 
through a valley which cuts the ridge of Little Moose, and here is 
another old cellar-place close by the old roadway. On this spot 
probably stood the house of Absalom Blair. The only thing in favor 
of it as a location for a home is that it is sheltered both from winds and 
from observiition, and there is a spring near by. Following this ancient 
road further on we pass through this valley and come to the northerly 
side of Little Moose, which descends to Middle Branch, but the road 
without descending winds westerly on the north side of the ridge of the 
mountain for the distance of about three-quarters of a mile and passes 



46 A HIS TOR Y OF MUR R A YFIELD. 

a spot where another ancient house stood by the roadside and known 
as the Riley place. It may have been and probably was the old home 
of James Clark. Passing on by this sj^ot for a quarter of a mile 
further we come to another cellar-place on a ridge where a good view 
of the surrounding country challenges the traveler to pause. On the 
other side of the old road opposite the cellar-place are three ancient 
elms in a row. The cellar-place is considerably larger than the other 
ones we passed, which suggests that the house was an inn. There 
are also two old wells near by. It is altogether probable that 
here stood the house of Thomas Kennedy, and that he kept an 
inn. It would seem that this road had been in existence for some 
time before the township was sold in June, 1762, for Thomas Ken- 
nedy was one of the nineteen settlers whom the proprietors found 
there, and James Clark was another. Tlieir houses had been built 
before the time of the sale of the townshijD, no one knows how long. 
Kennedy's house stood ujion lot No. G8 of the first division. It is 
pro])able that he was permitted to keep the land upon which he had 
settled. 

At this spot a charming view opens to the e^e. We are standing 
near the brow of the glen of Middle Branch upon the southwesterly 
side and looking toward the east. The foreground is a pasture and we 
are looking upon out-cropping ledges, bowlders, grass, weeds, brakes, 
bushes, and scattered trees. No landscape gardener has been here 
attempting to improve the grade. There is no gently graduated 
slope; but where the pasture ends abruptly at the distance of a quar- 
ter of a mile or less, the surface is considerably lower than at the place 
where we are standing. At the northwest the pasture is lost at the 
edge of a forest, over the top of which blue hilltops are seen in the 
distance. Before us the pasture ends in a shar]! outline which sug- 
gests a gulf beyond, and the mind is filled with interrogation points. 
This outline is clear and distinct against the somewhat dim, hazy, and 
bluish tint of the north side of the glen which is the south slope of 
Goss Hill. As our field-glass is directed to Goss Hill we almost expect 
that it will disclose a Rip A^an Winkle form slumbering under the 
southerly face of some ledge. In the sweet and delicious atmos- 
phere at this place one could sleep and dream that sorrow is but a 
false creation, proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain. Goss Hill 
stretches toward the north from the confluence of Middle and East 
Branches, and also forms the west side of the glen of East Branch, 
which is concealed from our view by the trees along its bank, save a 
rift where the eye catches the sparkle of water rushing over the stony 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 47 

bed at the foot of Goss Hill; and at the right of this the land rises 
toward the summit of Norwich Hill. Beyond all these, and dimly 
outlined, are still higher lands, the whole presenting one grand pan- 
orama receding with deepening shades until lost in the distant hori- 
zon. If we turn our gaze ^toward the west we will observe that the 
surface of the land gradually ascends in a broad plain for the distance 
of seventy-five to one hundred rods and ends abruptly at the summit 
of a quite regular ridge, with apparently a gulf beyond, relieved by a 
strip of the summit of the southerly side of the glen of West Branch 
and the heights of Blandford beyond that, bluer than the hills on the 
opposite side and giving a prettier effect. The mental interrogation 
points are kept in check only by the fact that their gratification is at 
the price of a somewhat laborious climb to the summit of the ridge. 
The valley immediately beyond this ridge contains a small brook, and 
through this valley lies the present road leading to Chester Center. 

Second Meeting of the Proprietoes. 

The proprietors held their second meeting at the house of Thomas 
Kennedy, September 20th, 1763. It is probable that their journey to 
this spot was on horseback. At that season of year when the gor- 
geously colored foliage is at its best, their journey must have been de- 
lightful beyond the power of language to desciibe. At this meeting 
they agreed to draAv the " blank lots already laid out, so that each jiro- 
prietor may enjoy his rights therein in severalty.'^ One article in their 
warrant was : "To agree with some suitable person for building mills 
in said town, and to see what encouragement shall be given the person 
that shall undertake the building of said mills,'' but no formal action 
was taken touching this subject. After choosing a moderator the 
meeting adjourned to the 1st of October, at which time they pro- 
ceeded to divide among themselves the remaining lots of the first 
divisions. 

Abijah Willard drew Nos. 3, 7, 10, 34, Hi, 52, 42, 55, 61, 73, 78, 79, 
91, 93 and 89. He then exchanged lot Xo. 89 with Abraham Flam- 
ming for lot No. 53, and. lot No. 10 with David Gilmore for lot No., 
84, and lot No. 73 with David Scott for lot No. 32. 

John Murray drew Nos. 30, 44, 47, 81, 83, 88, 103, 105, 107, 109 
and 113, and exchanged lot No. 88 with Nathan Mann for lot No. 92. 

James Otis drew Nos. 69, 36, 39, 46, 48, 50, 76, 96 and 115, and ex- 
changed lot No. 69 with Ebenezer Webber for lot No. 33. 

Timothy Paine drew Nos. 12, 22, 26, 29, 31, 63, 67, 74, and the 



48 A HISTOHY OF MVBBAJFIELD. 

"make up" to 77, 62, 99, 101. Lot 77 was in two parts, the "make 
up" being on Middle Branch. Paine sold it to Abner Smith. 

John Chandler drew Nos. 5, 9, 14, 30, 24, 28, 59, 65, 85, 95, 97 and 
111, and exchanged lot No. 65 with Jonathan Hart Webber for lot 
No. 98. This brought the Webbers all into the same neighborhood 
on the westerly bank of Middle Branch. He exchanged lot No. 
24 with John Crawford for lot No. 66. 

The proprietors, at this meeting, appointed Thomas Kennedy, John 
Crawford and Abraham Flemming a committee to lay out highways 
and make a report to the proprietors for their confirmation. AVhatever 
action the committee took, if any, the proprietors did nothing further 
touching the laying out of highways in the town. 

At this meeting the question of building mills was discussed without 
any definite result. But it appears that shortly afterwards John 
Chandler built a sawmill at his own expense; for at a meeting of the 
proprietors held December 12th, 1764, they voted that "Lot No. 13, 
originally drawn by Alexander Gordon and granted back to the pro- 
prietors, be granted to John Chandler, Esq., his heirs and assigns, in 
consideration of his having built a sawmill in said township." It was 
upon the west end of this lot that the sawmill was built, nearly 300 
rods southerly from the meeting-house. The west end of lot No. 13, 
together with the sawmill, subsequently became the property of the 
Searle family, and was owned by them many years. The mill was built 
upon "Nooney Brook," which at a lower point is called "Cook Brook." 
This lot was called Chandler's farm, and was occupied and carried on 
for him by Robert Smith. Of the highways laid out by the town of 
Murraytield in 1769, one is described as laid " From the meeting-house 
to Col. Chandler's farm where Robert Smith lives; from said Smith's 
to the sawmill," etc. In 1776 two sawmills had been built, but 
whether both were built by Chandler is doubtful. John Smith built 
a sawmill very early, probably as early as 1766. In 1767 the proprie- 
tors gave Chandler lot No. 39 in the second division of lots " in con- 
sideration of his extraordinary expense in building a sawmill in said 
town." This lot. No. 39, is within the present bounds of Middlefield. 

Third Meeting of Proprietors. 

On December 12th, 1764, the proprietors held their third meeting. 
It was held at Lancaster in the county of Worcester. At this meeting 
the second division of lots was made among the proprietors as follows: 
Abijah Willard drew Nos. 2, 8, 11, 13, 16, 19; John Chandler drew 



L 













A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 49 

Nos. 1, 33, 24, 26; 27; John Murray drew Nos. 12, 14, 20, 21, 22; 
Timothy Paine drew Nos. 3, 7, 10, 18, 25; James Otis drew Nos. 4, 
9, 17. These were all 200-acre lots and were located between the 
Middle Branch and the East Branch. The " Connecticut Valley His- 
tory," published in 1879, makes the inexcusable error of stating that 
'■'J'he settlers upon the tract between the middle and east branches of 
the Agawam river early in 1764 were, Abijah Willard, John Chandler, 
John Murray, Timothy Paine and James Otis." None of these pro- 
prietors ever resided in the town of Murrayfield. Some of them owned 
farms in the town, which were cultivated under their directions by 
agents residing on the farms. They all, with the exception of James 
Otis whose home was in Barnstable, were residents of Worcester 
county, and men of prominence in the colony. 

At this meeting they also included, in the second division of lots, 
certain interval lots on the West Branch, in the vicinity of what was 
for a long time known as Chester Factories. These lots were desig- 
nated by letters instead of numbers. 

Willard drew letters K, L, M. 

Chandler drew letters 0, P, Q. 

Murray drew letters G, H, I. 

Paine drew letters A, B, N. 

Otis drew letters C, F. Otis attended none of these meetings in 
person; but John Murray acted for him under a j)ower of attorney. 

The larger part of the village of Chester Factories is comprised 
within lot P. The proprietors reserved a right to lay out a road 
through these interval lots on the West Branch. 

No further action touching the affairs of this township appears to 
havpi been taken by the proprietors prior to the incorporation of the 
town of Murrayfield, except as appears in the following from the 
Council Records, Vol. XXV, p. 213: "June 2d, 1764, a petition of the 
proprietors of Murrayfield, praying that the settlers admitted therein 
may from time to time be impowered to call meetings to agree upon 
some proper method to settle the Gospel Ministry among them and 
to transact any other business that may be necessary. 

"■ In council read and ordered that the pfetitioners have liberty to bring 
in a bill for the purpose mentioned." 

"In House of Representatives read^and concurred." 

It does not appear that any further action was taken until the follow- 
ing year, when the proprietors procured an act of incorporation of the 
town of Murrayfield. 



50 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

First Gristmill. 

Either in the year 1764 or early in the year 1765, a gristmill was 
built on the left bank of the Middle Branch, near the spot where the 
tannery afterwards stood in Littleville. It was built under the 
auspices of the original proprietors, and it was probably the first grist- 
mill built in the town. Jonathan Clapp of Northampton was the 
man who erected it, and he i-eceived from the proprietors a deed of 
the lot upon which it sto'od, together with the water privilege. It 
appears that Clapp executed a bond to the proprietors, in which his 
obligations touching the building of the mill were definitely stated. 
Some difficulty arose between him and the proprietors touching the 
conditons of his bond. This bond was executed by Clapp, September 
8th, 1764. Tlie penal sum was ^500, and the conditions were as 
follows: 

"The condition of the present obligation is such that if the above-named 
Jonathan Clapp, his heirs, executors, & administrators shall on or before 
the first day of July next erect a mill-dam on the falls on the Middle Branch 
of the river called Westfield Riv^er, in the new town called Murrayfield in 
said county of Hampshire, adjoining to the lot of Mr. John Webber, being lot 
No. 64, & erect a corn-mill thereon & finish the same well & workman- 
like & keep the mill & dam to be so erected in good repair for tbe space of 
seven years from the first day of May next, & find & provide a good miller to 
attend to the same during the term aforesaid for the benefit of the inhabitants 
of said Murrayfield aforesaid to grind their grain (extraordinary casualties 
excepted), that then this present obligation will be void & of none effect; but 
in default thereof to abide & remain in full force & virture. 

Jonathan Clapp & seal." 
The proprietors brought a suit against him for breach of the conditions 
of this bond. The writ was dated April 10th, 1767 & returned to the court 
of common pleas at the following May term. The suit was submitted to 
referees, & at a meeting of the proprietors in the autumn of 1767 Abijah 
Willard was appointed "to attend on behalf of the proprietors upon the refer- 
ence between the proprietors & Mr. Jonathan Clapp relating to the corn-mill 
in Murrayfield." 

The record of the January term of the court, 1768, says: "This 
action being under reference and no report given in, ordered that the 
same be continued to next term under the same rule." The case was 
finished at the August term. The referees found against Clapp and 
awarded five pounds and fifteen shillings ''for damages for not build- 
ing and finishing the said mill and dam agreeably to the conditions of 
said bond, and costs of court and reference, the cost of reference 
being taxed at three pounds and sixteen shillings." 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 51 

This mill was erected upon lot A of the the third division of lots 
surveyed October, 1764, located on the left bank of Middle Branch, 
contained 100 acres, and the proprietors called it the "Mill Lot." On 
the 30th of October, 1765, Jonathan Clapp, describing himself as of 
Northampton, gave a deed of this, property to Jonathan Wait of 
Murrayfield and described it as follows: 

" Bounded westerly on the Middle Branch of Westfield river, so-called, south- 
erly on Timothy Smith's land; easterly on land belonging to the original proprie- 
tors of said Murrayfield; northerly on the Minister Lot, or lands of the origi- 
nal proprietors, together with the grist-mill, dam, & other appurtenances to 
said mill, standing on said Middle Branch contiguous, on, or adjoining the 
said tract." This describes the whole of lot A and it was bounded by Timothy 
Smith's five hundred acre farm on the south; on the east by lot B of the third 
division, which was granted to Timothy Paine, & by him sold to Gershom 
Eust. The highway, at first, was on that side of the river, being legally laid 
out in 1769 & described as "beginning at Worthington line, then southerly by 
Mr. Wait's mill east side of the Middle Branch, by Timothy Smith's," etc. 

Other mills were built shortly after these first ones on the East 
Branch, both above and below the present location of Norwich bridge. 

General Observations. 

The settlers upon the proprietors' settling lots were to some degree 
under their protection and under their supervision; but with the set- 
tlers upon Ingersoll grant and upon Bolton grant, and possibly with 
those who purchased their lands of the proprietors for a money consid- 
eration, it was otherwise. All these settlers were without any organ- 
ized town government, and without any officers of the law to enforce 
order, although they were undoubtedly amenable to the laws of the 
province and were subject to the jurisdiction of the courts within the 
county of Hampshire. But the remoteness of the officers of the law 
would naturally lessen their fear of the judicial machinery as a restrain- 
ing influence upon their conduct, and yet, so far as we can learn, they 
were an orderly and law-abiding community, as we should have a right 
to expect from the fact that they were of puritan stock; they were 
British subjects; they had been educated to respect law and order and 
religion; wherever they went the common law went Avith them as their 
guide and rule of conduct; and they respected whatever was right and 
hated whatever was wrong. It was because of such people as these 
that our ancestors were able to establish a republic. These people had 
that sense of honor which insures respect for the rights of others, and 
the requisite courage to assert and maintain their own rights. 



CHAPTER FOURTH. 
Incorporation of Murrayfield. 

The incorporation- of township No. 9 under the name of Mnrrayfield 
took place October 31st, 1765. This is of sufficient importance to 
justify a full copy of the act, which is as follows: " Whereas the pro- 
prietors of the plantation called and known by the name of Murray- 
field, have represented to this court that the inhabitants of said plan- 
tation labor under many difficulties and inconveniences by reason of 
their not being incorporated; for the removal thereof, Be it enacted 
by the Governor, Council, and House of Rei)resentutives: 

" Section 1. That said tract of land bounded and described as fol- 
lows, viz.: bounded northerly partly on Chesterfield and partly on a 
new township known by the name of Number Three, and runs from 
the southwest corner of said Chesterfield to the northeast corner of 
Becket; thence, on the east line of Becket, to the southeast corner of 
said Becket; and from thence, the same course, to Blandford line; thence 
bounded south, partly on said Blandford and partly on Westfield; and 
east, partly on Southampton and partly on Northampton, be, and 
hereby is, erected into a town by the name of Murrayfield; and the in- 
habitants thereof shall have and enjoy all such privileges and immu- 
nities as other towns in this province have and do enjoy. 

" And be it further enacted: 

"■ Section 2. That Eldad Taylor, Esq., of Westfield, be, and hereby 
is, empowered to issue his warrant to some principal inhabitant of said 
town of Murrayfield, requiring him in his majesty's name, to warn 
and notify the said inhabitants qualified to vote in town affairs, to 
meet together at such time and place in said town, as shall be ap- 
pointed in said warrant, to choose such officers as the law directs to 
be chosen annually, in' the month of March, and may be necessary 
to manage the affairs of said town; and the inhabitants, so met, shall 
be, and hereby are, empowered to choose officers accordingly. Oct. 
31st, 1765." 

There is no evidence in existence that any valuation list was taken 
as a basis for determining the qualification of voters. Probably such 
a list was taken, but it was not preserved. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 53 

July 11, 1701, an act was passed for the purpose of providing for 
calling meetings of the inhabitants of unincorporated plantations for 
the purposes of taxation by the province or by the county, and for 
choosing assessors to assess such taxes. Section 2 of the act reads as 
follows: ''The assessors so chosen and sworn shall, thereupon take a 
list of the rateable polls, and a valuation of the estates and faculties of 
the inhabitants of such plantation for a rule by which to Judge of the 
qualification of voters in meetings of the said inhabitants thereafter 
to be holden, until other valuation shall be made," Section 3 provided 
" that in case the inhabitants of any such plantation shall neglect to 
assemble, or being assembled shall neglect to choose all such officers as 
herein before are required, it shall be in the power of the court of 
general sessions of the peace in the county where such plantation is, 
and the justices of such court are required to appoint some meet per- 
sons, inhabitants of such plantation, to be assessors and collectors of 
such taxes as aforesaid, who shall be duly sworn to the faithful dis- 
charge of their respective trust, and shall conform to the directions 
and proceed by the rules which assessors and collectors in towns cor- 
porate are obliged to observe." 



First Town Meeting. 

The records of the town of Murrayfield begin with a copy of the act 
of incorporation; and then immediately the record continues as follows: 
''Pursuant to said act Eldad Taylor, Esq., issued this warrant under 
his hand and seal in his majesty's name directed to John Smith of 
Murrayfield, to notify the inhabitants of said Murrayfield to meet at 
the house of Malcom Henry in said Murrayfield on Tuesday the 
eleventh day of March, at ten of the clock in the forenoon. Anno 
Domini 176G for the choice of town officers." The record sets forth 
no copy of the warrant. The inhabitants having met pursuant to the 
warrant, Eldad Taylor was chosen moderator, and then the following 
named town officers were chosen and sworn into office: 

Town Clerk and Treasurer, Malcom Henry. 

Selectmen and Assessors, Timothy Smith, John Smith and 
Malcom Henry. 

Surveyors of Highways, Thomas Kennedy, Gideon Matthews, 
Nathan Mann, William Miller and David Bolton. 

TiTHiNGMEN, Samuel Elder and James Clark. 

Wardens, Israel Rose and William Mcinn. (Probably Fire Wardens. ) 



54 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

SuRVEYOKS OF TiMBER AND LuMBER, Abraham Flemming and 
Isaac Mixer. 

Fence Viewers, John Mcliityre, Ebenezer Meacham and Ebenezer 
Webber. 

Sealer of Weights and Measures, Jonathan Wait. 

Hog-Reeves, Ebenezer King and Stephen Lyman, whose duty it 
was to see that the laws reguhitmg the keeping of swine were observed, 
and to prosecute all offenders. 

Deer-Eeeves, Alexander Gordon and Samuel Webb, whose duty 
it was to enforce the laws which had been passed by the General Court 
for the preservation of deer. The only vote passed at this meeting 
obher than the election of officers was the following: "Voted that 
swine shall run at large from the middle of September to the middle 
of May following." At this time the law required that all swine going 
at large on the commons from the first of April to the fifteenth of 
October should be sufficiently yoked or ringed in the nose. No yoke 
was accounted sufficient which was not the full length of the swine's 
neck, and half as much below the neck, and the sole or bottom of the 
yoke three times as long as the breadth or thickness of the swine's 
neck. If any swine were found unyoked or unringed, their owners 
were liable to pay sixpence per head, and if also found damage feasnnt 
to pay twelvepence per head, over and above double damage to the 
party injured; and the haywards or field-drivers, or any other person, 
were authorized to take and impound such swine. Towns, however, 
were permitted to enlarge the time by so voting at a legal town meeting. 

The record shows no action of the town at this time touching the 
raising and appropriation of money. The reason why no measures 
were taken at this meeting to raise money was, probably, that the in- 
habitants, relying upon the expectation that the proprietors were to 
build the necessary roads and bridges — an expectation which the pro- 
prietors had encouraged by their promises — saw no immediate necessity 
for taxation. They were not then in condition to establish public 
schools, if, indeed, there was at that time a necessity for schools. 
Their first necessity was to build suitable houses for shelter, and to 
clear enough land to provide for the sustenance of themselves and their 
cattle. The incorporation of the town would have been deferred to a 
later period had the settlers been left to their own choice. The pro- 
prietors urged the incorporation at this time for their own advantage, 
and it is not improbable that one of their purposes was to escape the 
burden of road and bridge building. There is reason to believe that 
many people living within the limits of the township, particularly 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 55 

those living within the Ingersoll grant, were opposed to the incorpo- 
ration Oi the town, and felt that it was a scheme to impose taxes upon 
them for the benefit of the proprietor settlers. Discontent arose on 
the part of the inhabitants of the east end of the town, which ulti- 
matel}^ led to a division of the township. 

The First Town Controversy. 

There was enough 'of the Gaelic and Celtic elements among the set- 
tlers of Murrayfield to keep the affairs of the town somewhat lively. 
It is not at all strange that men of adventurous spirit, and who courted 
difficulties which would have crashed an effeminate people, should 
have been at times hot-headed. The spirit of contention appeared 
early in the town of Murrayfield in an ugly form before the time for 
holding its second annual town meeting was reached. It was excited 
to activity in this way: In September, 1766, the selectmen notified the 
inhabitants of the town to bring in the lists of their rateable estates on 
or before October 30th of that year. Before that time had expired, 
Timothy Smith and Malcom Henry, two of the selectmen and assessors, 
closed and signed a list of valuation. But John Smith, the other as- 
sessor, refused to sign it, claiming that they had no right to close the 
list at that time, and that the list so closed was invalid. Timothv 
Smith was persuaded to the same view. The two Smiths agreed to 
give a new notice and re-take the valuation, but Henry refused, claim- 
ing that the valuation list just taken was to all intents and purposes 
a legal list. The Smiths took a new list of valuation and assessed the 
taxes by the new list. This new list was tendered to Malcom Henry, 
as town clerk, in order to be lodged with him for the regulation of 
votes at the March meeting in 1767, but Henry refused to take it. 
When the inhabitants assembled at the March meeting they at once 
got into a dispute as to whether the qualification of voters should be 
determined by the first or by the second valuation list, and the voters 
thereupon formed into two parties and separated, each party holding 
a separate town meeting, and two sets of officers were chosen for the 
town. This led to great confusion and to law suits. The lawyers who 
were consulted were of opinion that neither set of officers was legally 
chosen. This state of affairs gave the original proprietors great 
anxiety; and at a meeting which they held November 4th, 1767, they 
drafted and sent to the inhabitants of the town the following letter: 

" We, the subscribers, the proprietors of Murrayfield, have this day had 
a meeting; and it is with great concern that we find so many unhappy 
divisions subsisting in said town to the destruction of the interests of 



56 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFTELD. 

the settlers and proprietors. And after fully considering of your 
affairs and all circumstances relating thereto do give you our advice in 
your affairs, and desire your compliance as you value our future favors. 
First that the lawsuit subsisting between Messrs. Smith and Taggart 
be dropped, and that each party pay his own costs, and that at present 
there be an end of lawsuits relating to town affairs. That the town Join 
and petition to the General Court at their next session, and therein set 
forth the whole transaction of both parties at their last March meeting, 
and the difBculties subsisting in said town in consequence thereof, and 
pray for their aid and assistance that all matters may be set right for 
the future." 

An address setting forth the difficulties into which the town had 
got and praying for relief was presented to the Governor and Council 
and House of Eepresentatives on behalf of the inhabitants of the town 
by Timothy Paine and John Murray as their agents, with the follow- 
ing result: "In Council January 23d, 1768, read and ordered, that 
Abijah Willard, Esq., Eldad Taylor and Capt. Charles Baker, or any 
two of them, be empowered to take a list of valuation under oath of 
all the rateable estates real and Avell and personal in said Murrayfield, 
they first giving at least ten days notice to said inhabitants before they 
proceed on said business by posting up a notification in said town, and 
when they have completed said list make a return thereof to Timothy 
Smith, John Smith and Malcom Henry, selectmen chosen in said town 
for the year 1766; and upon receijot thereof the said selectmen be em- 
powered to make out their warrant to some principal inhabitant of 
said town, requiring him to notify a meeting of said inhabitants quali- 
fied to vote in town affairs, to meet and assemble in said town for the 
choice of town officers for the ensuing year, and that the valuation so 
taken be the rule for determining the qualification of voters at said 
meeting, and that Simeon Strong, Esq., be appointed to moderate at 
said meeting; and that if it should so happen that the said valuation 
can not be taken in convenient time for holding said meeting in March 
next, that said meeting be held as soon after as it conveniently may 
be; and the transactions of said inhabitants at said meeting be valid 
to all intents and purposes, as if said meeting had been held in the 
month of March.'"' This order was passed and became a law February 
11th, 1768. Abijah Willard and Charles Baker, both non-residents, 
took the valuation and returned the list to the selectmen named in 
the order, April 19th, 1768. Unfortunately neither of the former val- 
uation lists were preserved. The list taken by Willard and Baker was 
as follows: 



A HISTORY OF MURRAY FIELD. 



57 



1-? 3 w 

!5 !S fr- 
E- S ? 



£ s. 



£ s. 



Absalom Blair. . . . 
Robert Blair, .... 
David Blair, .... 
James Brown, . . . 
James Black, .... 

David Bdlton 

James Clark 

John Crow. Jr 

James Crow, .... 
Thomas Crow, . . . 

David Crow 

Ebenezer Dowd, . . . 

Samuel Ellis 

Big-'tt Etgleston, . . 
Jebial Egglestou, . . 
Samue: Eider, .... 

Caleb F'obes 

V\ illiam Fobes, . . . 
Abraham Flemming, . 
James Fairman, . . . 
Samuel Fairman, . . 
Zfcbul n Fuller, . . . 
Al xauder (Tordon, 
Malco Hei ry, . . . 
James Hamilton, . . 
James tiilmnre, . . . 
David Gilmore, . . . 
John Gilmore. . . . 
William Campbell. . . 
Matthew Campb-^ll, . 
Thomas Kennedy . . 
William Kennedy, . . 
John Laceore . . . 
Lemuel Laccore, . . 
Stephen Lyman. . . . 
Timothy Lyman, . . 
Ebenezer Sleacham, . 

Isaac Mixer 

Isaac Mixer Jr., . . . 
William Miller, . . . 
William Mann, . . . 
Ebenezer King, . . . 
Nathan Mann, . . . 
William Moore. . . . 
Dani-1 Meeker. . . . 
James IMcKnight, . . 
John ^Mclntire, . . . 
Gideon Matthews, . . 
Abner Pease, .... 
Robert Proctor, . . . 

Ivrael Rose 

Nathan Hose 

Zebiilon R'>!-e, . . . 
Timothy Smith, . . . 
Abner Smith, .... 
John Smith, .... 

David Scott 

Thomas Smith, . . . 

Ezekiel Snow 

James Taggart . . . 
Daniel Twadwell, . . 
Peter Williams, . . . 
Samuel Webb . . . 
Jonathan Wait, . . . 
Jonathan Hart Webber, 
Ebenezer Webber, . . 
Reuben Woolworth, . 
Thomas Wright . . . 



Total, 



76 



32 50 



74 123 









(I 










; 58 
i 
I 
! 
i 
(I 










5 
3 






8 





















2 
7 





12 

7 

1-10 
1-10 
0- 

4- 4 
.5 

1-10 
0- 
1-10 
0- 
0- 
2- 2 
1-10 
0- 

5- 9 
10-18 

2 

S-17 
12 

0- 
2- 8 
4-10 
9--12 
5-10 
4-14 
4- 
0-0 
1-10 
0- 
5-14 

9-14 
0-0 
4-12 
0- 3-7 
8-14 
7- 8 
1-18 
7- 8 
3-10 



5 

0- 
9- 
5-10 

5- 1 
3 

2- 6 

6- 8 
2- 8 
0- 9 
9 12 

10- 6 
8-12 

11- 5 
5-10 
0- 

11-16 

0- 9 
16-10 

1-10 

1-10 

7-12 

8-13-4 

9 

0- 



42 
16 

8 

4-10 

3 

19-4 
43 

1-10 



1-10 





5-2 
25-10 


39- 9 
59-18 

2 

38-17 
22 

0- 

21- 8 
18-10 
21-12 
17-12 
16-14 
12- 

0- 

6-10 

0- 
22-14 

0- 
31-14 

26-12 

22- 3-7 
32-14 
59- 8 

7-18 
35- 8 
13-10 



15- 6 

22- 8 
14- 8 
0- 9 
85-12 
26- 6 
28-12 
37- 5 
21-10 

35-16 

6- 9 
28-10 

1-10 
17-10 
31-12-4 
38-13-4 

16- - 



58 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

The old record book in which the foregoing list is recorded has some 
time been gnawed by mice, so that the record of this list is left 
imperfect. 

Warrant por the Third Town Meeting. 

Upon receiving the valuation list the selectmen immediately issued 
a warrant of which the following is a coi)y: 

" Hampshire ss. To Mr. James Fairman, one of the principal inhabitants of 
the town of Miirrayfield. In his maje.My's name you are hereby required to 
notify & warn all ihe inhabitants of the town of Murraytield that are qualified 
to vote in town affairi to meet at the New Public meeting house in said town on 
Tuesday the fifth day of May next bv eleven of the clock in the forenoon then 
& there to proceed to choose town officers for the ensuing year, viz: town cleik, 
selectmen, constables, assessors, tovVn treasurer, tythingmt n, & all other ordi- 
nary town officers that are required by law to be chosen in the month of March; 
&also to grant money to defray the necessary charges of said town. Fail not, 
but make return hereof with your doings thereon to one of us before the 
time of meeting. Given under our hands & teals at Murrayfield this nine- 
teenth day of April Anno Domini 17C8, & in the 8ih year of his majesty's 
reign. 

Timothy Smith \ selectmen 
John Smith > for Anno 
Malcom Henry ) ^"''°" 

The warrant was duly returned and the meeting held in ]mrsuance 
thereof. The following town officers were chosen: 

For town clerk, John Smith; and he was chosen treasurer also. 

For selectmen and assessors, Caleb Fobes, Timothy Smith, and 
William Miller. 

For constables, Stephen Lyman and Ebenezer Webber. 

For tithingmen, Israel Eose and Gideon Matthews. 

For surveyors of highways, Isaac Mixer, Peter Williams, William 
Moore, James Fairman, James Clark, Jonathan Hart Webber, and 
Samuel Ellis. 

For fence viewers, Ebenezer Meacham and John Laccore. 

For seller of leather, Isaac Mixer. 

For surveyor of timber and lumber, Bigott Eggleston. 

For deer-reeves, El)enezer King and Samuel P'airman. 

For hog-reeves, Nathan Rose and Jonathan Hart Webber. 

For wardens, John Smith and Reuben Wool worth. 

No money appropriations were made at this meeting; but at a meet- 
ing held the 28th of June following, £20 were appropriated for 



A HrSTORY OF JIUBKAYyiELD. 59 

preaching, and £40 for ordinary town expenses. These sums were 
voted in addition to £20 voted in 17G6, making in all £80. 

John Smith, who was elected town clerk, took his oath of office 
before Joseph Hawley, a justice of the peace. The certificate of this 
oath was made by the magistrate in the record book of the town as 
follows: 

" H4rapshire ss. May 7th, 1768, John Smith of Murrayfield in said county 

of Hampshire, appearing to me by the usual written certificate to have been 

regularly chosen by the inhabitants of said Miirrajtield to the office of town 

clerk for the said town at tl^ir meeting held on the fifth of May inst., the 

said John Smith on the seventh day of May above, took his oath respecting 

the bills of credit on the neighboring governments by law to be taken by town 

officers, & also the oath of office in the form prescribed by the law of 

this province to be taken by persons elected to the office of town clerk-. 

Before me 

Joseph Hawley, Justice of the Peace." 



Oath Concerning Bills of Credit. 

A law, passed by the general court of this province in December, 
1748, required: "That from and after the last day of March, which 
shall be in the year of our Lord 1750, until the last day of March 
which shall be in the year 1754, every person who shall be chosen to 
serve in any office of the towns of this province shall, before his 
entrance upon said office, take the following oath, to be administered 
by a justice of the peace, or where no justice of the peace shall be 
present, by the town clerk, who is hereby impowered to administer 
the same, viz.: 'You, A, B., do in the presence of God solemnly 
declare that you have jiot, since the last day of March, 1750, wittingly 
or willingly, directly or indirectly, either by yourself or any one for 
or under you, been concerned in receiving or paying within this 
government any bill or bills of credit of either of the governments of 
Connecticut, New Hampshire, or Ehode Island. So help me God.'" 

By reenactment this law was in force as late as 17G8. 

Town Debts. 

The action of the town about this time, touching the payment of 
its debts, clearly indicates the straitened condition of the people as to 
money. Towns, like individuals, when under pecuniary embarrass- 
ment, will do mean things which they would scorn when in easy cir- 



60 A HISTORY OF MVRRAYFIELD. 

cumstances. The treatment of claims presented against the town 
dnring these years of its infancy, show either financial distress on the 
part of the town, or unconscionable meanness on the part of men 
whom the town continued to honor by reelecting them to responsible 
positions. The town was poor. 



March Meeting, 1769. 

The town meeting in March, 1769, was held at tlie house of Jona- 
than Hart Webber. The December meeting in 1768 was called to be 
held at the new house of Jonathan Hart Webber. As the public 
meeting-house had been built and some meetings had been held there, 
it must be presumed that the house was not a comfortable place to 
hold town meetings in these cold months. But a meeting which was 
called to be held in April, 1769, was held at the meeting-house. 
At the April meeting a singular protest was presented to the town and 
was placed upon the records. Timothy Smith had a son named 
Thomas whose wife's name was Submit. They had severnl children — 
more, indeed, than they could comfortably provide for — in fact, chil- 
dren were the only things of which they had an abundance, and pov- 
erty was their lot. The wife and children became objects of public 
charge. For some reason other than inability Timothy would not 
help them. The town having been put to expense on their account 
threatened action against Timothy, which called forth the following 
protest: " We, the subscribers, do judge the proceedings of the town 
to be illegal in voting to come into a method to recover the costs of 
Timothy Smith that hath been made by Thomas Smith's wife and his 
family, and we do hereby enter our protest against the whole proceed- 
ings in that case. 

MuRRATFiELD, April 13th, 1769. 

John Smith, 
Ebenezer Webber, 
Samuel Matthews, 
Eeuben Matthews, 
William Miller, 
Timothy Smith." 

Notwithstanding the protest the town, at the same meeting, voted to 
take action against Timothy Smith on account of his son's wife and 
family. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYEIELD. 61 



Highways. 



At the March meeting in 1769 several roads were accepted as laid 
out by the selectmen, as follows: One " from Worthington down the 
left bank of the Middle Branch by Wait's mill, Timothy Smith's and 
Mr. Fobes' to Hampton line on Westfield Road, road so-called." 

One "from Northampton west line at the road, then westerly by 
John Kirtland's across the river at the ford-way by Mr. Fobes' and to 
Blandford line east of the West Branch, called Hampton road to 
Blandford east of Mr. Bolton's." 

One beginning at the ford-way west of Timothy Smith's to the 
meeting-house by Ebenezer Webber's, from the meeting-house west- 
ward to James Brown's by Mclntere's, Mann's, and Flemming's, and 
from James Black's to the road above named. 

One from Mr. Gordon's by Mr. Laccore's to the meeting-house, from 
David Blair's to the road above Mr. Hamilton's. 

One from William Campbell's to the meeting-house by John and 
Abner Smith's, from the Worthington road above Mr. Wait's mill 
northerly to Abner Smith's. 

One from Mr. Williams' by Mr. Meacham's by Nathan Eose's by 
Clerk Heniy's to the meeting-house in Webber's road ninety rods. 

One from the meeting-house to Col. Chandler's farm where Robert 
Smith lives, from said Smith's to the sawmill, from said sawmill by 
David Bolton's to Blandford line wbere three roads cross, and from 
Bolton's westwardly east of the West Branch by Proctor's through 
Capt. Noble's farm, southeasterly from said farm to Blandfoid line, 
east side of the branch, from thence to the road that goes from Hamp- 
ton to Blandford. 

One "beginninjj at Chesterfield line where the road meets the town 
line; thence southerly by Mr. Miller's to Worthington road east of Ebe- 
nezer Webber's." This is probably the road over Goss Hill. 

One " from the ford-way at the Middle Branch against Israel Rose's 
up to the gristmill on the south side of the branch." 

One " from Worthington road at the southeast side of Timothy 
Smith's field across the ford-way a little east of Capt. Geer's." See 
appendix for particulars of survey. 

This same year £50 were raised for the repair of highways, and 
three shillings per day were allowed for work on the roads. 

In 1770 the town voted to lay out £7 in repairing highways, and 
that four days' work be required of each poll, the work to be done by 
June 15th, and two shillings eightpence be allowed per day for work 



62 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

for each poll, to be taken out of the £7. In March, 1772, the town 
appropriated £:^0 for repairing highways. In July, the same year, it 
was voted "to raise half a day's work for each man to work on the 
county road by Deacon Miller's to Worthington,"and that it should be 
done by the 5th of September. In March, 1773, the town voted to re- 
quire four days' work on highways for each poll at three shillings per day. 
At the town meeting held April 22, 1771, the town voted adversely 
on propositions to build a bridge at Mr. Wait's mill, at the ford-way 
west of Timothy Smith's house, and at the ford-way nortli of Israel 
Eose's dwelling, all on the Middle Branch. The town also voted 
adversely to the proposition to "• build a boat to carry men and horses 
over the river near Landlord Mixer's." In January of the same year 
the question of buildiug a bridge over East Branch, where Norwich 
bridge now stands,* was discussed in town meeting. 

Schools. 

. The first action taken by the town in its corporate capacity touch- 
ing public schools was at a town meeting held April 13, 1769; it was 
voted not to raise any money for schools that year. Another subject 
included in the same vote is significant of the reason why they voted 
no money for schools, to wit: ''Nor to pay any of their debts with 
specie." But the inhabitants were not indifi'erent to the importance 
of public education; for at a meeting held the following May, the 
town voted to raise four pounds for the support of schools that year, 
and at a meeting held the following June, eight pounds more were 
voted for support of schools. 

In April, 1770, the town voted £12 for the support of schools that 
year. 

At the March meeting in 1773, £12 were appropriated for the sup- 
port of schools, and James Hamilton, Jesse Johnson, David Scott, 
William Carter, and Jonathan Wait, representing different sections of 
the town, Avere chosen "a committee to examine and consider the cir- 
cumstances of the places where they shall think it most convenient for 
schools to be kept in winter for reading and writing, and in summer 
for women's schools and make report to the town at the next town 
meeting, of their judgment." 

Newcomees. 

The valuation list taken in September, 1769, shows the following 
new names: John Blair, James Clark, Jr., Timothy Culver, Benjamin 



A HISTORY OF 3IURRAYFIELD. 63 

Eggleston, Thomas Elder, Ebenezer Gordon, Ebenezer Geer, Elijah 
Geer, Samuel Knight, John Kirtland, Jonathan EusselJ, Nathan Mann, 
Reuben Matthews, Samuel Matthews, David Palmer, David Palmer, Jr., 
Samuel Pomeroy, John Rude, Robert Smith, Daniel Williams, Jr., Isaac 
Williams, Miles Washburn, Nathaniel Weller, Benjamin Whitney, 
and John Whitney. The valuation list for 1770 shows the following 
additional names: George Armstrong, John Elder, Samuel Gordon, 
John Gil more, John Griswold, Mr. Hubbard, John Harkell, Moses 
Hale, Daniel Kirtland, James Mulhollan, David Shepard, M.D., 
Edward Wright, and Edward AVright, Jr. In the meantime the fol- 
lowing named persons appear to have left town: Absalom Blair, 
Robert Blair, James Brown, Abner Pease, John Smith, Samuel Webb, 
and Thomas Wright. 

Qualified Votees, 1770. 

Of the persons whose names appear on the list for 1770, only the 
following persons were by property qualification elegible to vote: 

David Bolton, James Chirk, Thomas Crow, Samuel Elder, Caleb 
Fobes, William Fobes, Abraham Flemming, James Fairman, Zebulon 
Fuller, Ebenezer Gordon, Capt, Ebenezer Geer, James Hamilton, 
Malcom Henry, Jesse Jolmson, John Mclntire, Thomas Kennedy, 
James McKnight, John Kirtland, Ebenezer King, John Laccore, 
Lemuel Laccore, Stephen Lyman, Timothy Lyman, William Mann, 
Nathan Mann, Ebenezer Meacham, Isaac Mixer, Samuel Matthews, 
Gideon Matthews, Jonathan Miller, William Miller, William Moore, 
David Palmer, Samuel Pomeroy, Robert Proctor, Israel Rose, N.tthan 
Rose, John Rude, Robert Smith, Timothy Smith, David Scott, Abner 
Smith, James Taggart, Ebenezer Webber, Jonathan Wait, Peter 
Williams, Reuben Woolworth, Daniel Kirtland, and Edward Wright. 
These persons were valued at £20 and more. Only eleven were rated 
as high as £50. The highest was £9L 

Dr. Shepard Chosen Town Clerk. 

At the annual meeting in 1771, Dr. David Shepard Avas chosen 
town clerk; and he was continued in the office for many years. His 
residence was in the vicinity of the meeting-house; and in extremely 
cold weather the town meetings, after the choice of moderator, some- 
times adjourned to his house and there finished their business. He 
was the first town clerk of Murrayfield, who was really competent to 
fill the place. 



64 A NFS TORY OF 3IURRAYFIELD. 

At this same meeting the town voted to let swine run at large the 
whole year without yokes or rings. 

Between September, 1770, and September, 1771, the following 
named persons came and settled in the town: William Carter, Asa 
Carter, William Bell, Samuel Belknap, Archelus Anderson, Solomon 
Holyday, Solomon Holyday, Jr., Josiah Holyday, Gershom liust, and 
Jabez Torry. 

The record of the annual meeting in 1771 shows that the selectmen 
had become liable to suit for failure to make return of the valuation 
of the town to the Assembly. The town voted "to defend the select- 
men from all harm on that account, provided they make it out and 
deliver the same to one of the proprietors to have them send it in." 

It appears that Isaac Mixer, either as constable or tax collector, had 
got into a suit with Ebenezer Meacham in consequence of having sold 
Meacham's cart for taxes. From the fact that the town refused to 
help Mixer, it may be inferred that he had exceeded his authority. 

Valuation List, 1772. 

The valuation which was taken in September, 1772, shows the fol- 
lowing new names: Capt. Zebulon Jones, Samuel Buck, John Tif- 
fany, a Mr. Taylor, and Samuel Wheat. 

The total valuation of the town amounted to £2,991 and 4 shillings. 

Abner Smith was rated at £111, Caleb Fobes at £115, and Isaac 
Mixer at £91. They were the wealthiest men in town. Dr. David 
Shepard appears to have prospered so well that from nothing in 1769 
he was rated, in 1772, at £26 and 4 shillings. 

At the annual meeting in March, 1773, the last board of selectmen 
and assessors for the undivided original town of Murrayfield were 
chosen. They were, Malcom Henry, John Kirtland, Dr. David 
Shepard, David Scott, and Abner Smith. 

Town Lines. 

In November, 1768, the line between Blandford and Murrayfield 
was perambulated; the record of which is as follows: " Blandford, 
Nov. 7th, A. D., 1768. John Noble and Isaac Gibbs were appointed 
by the selectmen of Blandford to perambulate between Blandford and 
Murrayfield. Also Caleb Fobes, selectman of Murrayfield, and Ebe- 
nezer Meacham met us the 7th day, and David Bolton went with us two 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 65 

hours the 7th day and all the 8th day. First, we set out at the north- 
east * corner at Rock House mountain at a yellow pine tree marked 
with stones about it; from thence west 17° north seven miles to a 
beech tree with stones about." This line, as run by Edward Taylor 
and Charles Baker, who surveyed for the original proprietors, was 
put down as West 20° north. The line as subsequently established 
by the General Court is given as beginning at a beech tree with stones 
about it in the northwest corner of Bhindford and thence east 17° 
south to Kock House corner, but the act expressly states that the 
purpose is not to change tlie line, but to establish it. The proprie- 
tors' surveyors no doubt made an erroneous record. 

Action of the Town About Preaching. 

The questions which engrossed the attention of the town more than 
any other one matter of public concern were those pertaining to })ro- 
viding for preaching, but especially as to the places of meeting for 
religious worship. This subject was to some extent provided for, as 
we have already seen, in the conditions of settlement, and, before that, 
in the conditions of purchase imposed by the government upon the 
proprietors themselves. No action appears to have been taken by the 
town until the year 17G8, after it was reorganized. At the first 
meeting called by the newly elected board of selectmen to be hohlen 
at the public meeting-house on the 28tli day of June, the third 
article was, " For the town to vote, if they think it proper, a suitable 
sum of money for them to pay for preaching, and also to choose a 
minister for supplying the pulpit." Another article was, ''To see if 
the town will vote a place or places for to meet at for public worship." 

At this meeting the town voted to raise £20 for preaching that 
year; and chose Isaac Mixer, Abner Smith and Stephen Lyman a 
committee to "supply the town with preaching this present year." 
A vote was taken "that the preaching this year should not be all at 
the meeting-house," which vote was immediately reconsidered, and a 
vote then taken " that the preaching this year shall be all at the pub- 
lic meeting-house," and then the town voted "that the committee for 
preaching should apply themselves to the Revd. Mr. Tud, Mr. 
Hooker at South and Northampton, and the Revd. Mr. Ballentine of 
Westfield for advice." 

In a warrant for a meeting to be holden October 14, ]7G8, there was 
an article " to see if the town will vote to give Mr. Asahel Hart a call 

* Northeast corner of Blandford. 



66 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

to settle in the gospel ministry in said town ; also to see if the town 
will appoint a place or places to meet at for public worship." No 
action appears to have been taken with reference to giving Mr. Hart a 
call ; but the town voted " that the preaching for the winter shall be 
one-half of the time at Mr. Eeuben Woolworth's, or Jonathan Web- 
ber's;" and "that the other half of the preaching for the winter 
ensuing shall be at Mr. John Laccore's." Jonathan Hart Webber's 
house was on Middle Branch. 

Fixing upon Places Where Preachiisg Should be Held. 

At a town meeting held December 14th, J-768, " at the new house 
of Jonathan Hart Webber," the town voted "that the vote passed 
the fourteenth day of October last, to have preaching one-half of the 
time at Mr. John Laccore's and the other half at Mr. Jonathan Hart 
Webber's shall be revoked or disannulled." The town then voted 
"that the first six Sabbaths of preaching in Murrayfield shall be at 
the dwelling house of Israel Rose ; and that there shall be three Sab- 
baths of preaching at the dwelling house of Israel Rose out of seven 
for and through the year ensuing." 

£3 and 12 shillings were voted to be paid to Mr. Simeon Miller, it 
being the sum due him for preaching. 

At a town meeting held April 13th, 1769, £25 were appropriated 
for preaching during the year, and James Hamilton, Jesse Johnson, 
and Gideon Matthews were chosen " a committee to supply the town 
with preaching according to the agreement drawn from Mr. Baldwin^'s 
advice on the 6th of March, 1769." 

At a meeting held in May it was voted " that one-half of the preach- 
ing during the present year should be at Ebenezer Webber's barn, and 
the other half at the meeting-house." 

Arbitratiox Agreed to. 

.At a town meeting held in June of the same year, which was called 
to be held, and was held, at the house of Reuben Woolworth, " to see 
if the town will vote to submit the difference subsisting between the 
people at the river and the people on the hill, so-called, to the judg- 
ment of indifferent men of any other town or towns to judge and 
determine how big a part of the preaching shall be at the meeting- 
house, and how big a part at some place to be by them appointed for 
the benefit of the people at the river." 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 67 

Another subject named in the warrant was stated in language 
following : "To see if the town will discover how they approve of the 
performances of Mr. Bascom while he has been in town.'' The 
record states that the town "voted that they like the performances of 
Mr. Bascom well." 

Eeport of the Arbitrators. 

The town voted " To submit the difference about the place where 
the preaching shall be held to indifferent men." The men selected 
were, Capt. IS'athan Leonard of Worthington, Lieut. Nathaniel 
Kingsley of Becket, and Deacon Benjamin Tupper of Chesterfieh]. 
And it was voted that preaching should be held at the places so 
designated by the arbitration, for the next three years. The report of 
these referees was as follows : 

" We, the subscribers, being appointed a committee by the inhabitants of 
Murrayfield to settle the dispute subsisting among the inhabitants of said town 
respecting the place or places for meeting for public worship for three years 
next ensuing, & having viewed the diiferent parts of said town, have agreed to 
report as follows, viz.: Two-thirds of the time at the meeting-house in said 
town, «& one-third of the time at Mr. Isaac Mixer's in said town; that is to say, 
two Sabbaths at the meeting-house & one Sabbath at said Mixer's successively 
for three years next ensuing the date hereof. Dated at Murrayfield this 9th day 
of July, 1769. 

Nathan Leonard. 

Nathaniel Kingsley. 

Benja. Tupper." 

The Eev, Aaron Bascom Called. 

This arrangement was carried out for the time agreed upon. 

At a town meeting held July 17th, the town passed the following 
vote : " Voted to give Mr. Aaron Bascdta a call to-settle amongst us 
in the work of the ministry, and "according to the agreement drawn 
by Mr. Baldwin on the 29th of April, 1768." The offer was " to give 
Mr. Aaron Bascom for a settlement seventy pounds, one half to be 
paid in money and the other half to be j)aid in work." To give him 
"forty pounds salary for three years, and then raise five pounds per 
year to sixty pounds; and then sixty pounds per year whilst he is our 
minister." 

Jesse Johnson, Stephen Lyman, and John Kirtland were chosen to 
be a committee "to make report to Mr. Bascom what the town hath 



68 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

done for his eucouragenient, and to make report of his answer to the 
town at their next meeting." Apparently Mr. Bascom's answer was 
not given n:itil after he' had carefully considered the offer and 
negotiated somewhat with the '^committee concerning his salary; and 
that it resulted in calling a town meeting which was held at Mixer's 
Inn, September 13th, 1769, when the town voted to give Mr. Bascom 
his firewood during his ministry. At the same meeting James Hamil- 
ton and Jesse Johnson were chosen "a committee to send to the Pres- 
bytery to see if the Presbytery will grant that platform that was voted 
by this town of Murrayfield the 17th of July, 1769, for church 
discipline for Murrayfield." The town then voted to raise 10 pounds 
for preaching. 

On the 7th of October, 1769, Abner Smith and John Hamilton, 
two of the selectmen, issued a warrant for a town meeting to be held 
at the public meeting-house on the 12th, "to see if the town will 
choose a committee to send for such ministers as Mr. Bascom and the 
town shall agree upon in order to assist in embodying a church and 
ordaining Mr. Bascom." It also proposed the 8th of November as the 
time. The meeting was held ; but adjourned to Novemljer 2d ; at 
which time it was voted not to act upon the foregoing article. On the 
6th of November, another meeting was called to be held on the 14th, 
at Mixer's Inn, and it was voted to reconsider the vote passed 
July 17th, to settle Mr. Bascom according to the agreement drawn by 
Mr. Baldwin. Another meeting was called November 9th, to be 
holden November 25th, at the public meeting-house ; at which time 
it was " voted to give Mr. Aaron Bascom a call to settle in the work 
of ministry among us according to an agreement made and consented 
to by the inhabitants of Murrayfield on the 14th inst." The town 
also voted to give him " the same encouragement that we did before: 
that is to say, to give him £70 for settlement, one half to be paid in 
money and the other half in work; and to give him £40 salary for three 
years ; and then 'raise £5 a fear to £60, and then pay him £60 while 
he shall remain, also his firewood." The ordination was fixed to 
take place December 20th, and Jesse Johnson, John Kirtland, David 
Palmer and Samuel Matthews were chosen a committee to arrange for 
the ordination. 

Mr. Bascom's acceptance of the call was worded as follows: 

"To the inhabitants of the town of Murrayfield. Whereas you have in- 
vited me to settle with you in the work of the Gospel Ministry, & voted to 
give me seventy pounds as a settlement, and forty pounds for a salary per 
year during three years, then raise five pounds per year till it comes to sixty 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 69 

pounds, then to continue at sixty pounds per year so long as I shall be your 
minister, «fe also to provide me with firewood annually for the time above men- 
tioned, I, having fully considered the matter & taken advice of my friendg 
«fc of my Rev. fathers in the ministry, am inclined to think it my duty & 
hereby express my sincere willingness to settle with you in the work of the 

Gospel. 

Aaron Bascom.'" 



Towns Required to Support Preaching. 

At this point it may be well to explain that it was a law of the 
province "that the inhabitants of each town within this province shall 
take dne care, from time to time, to be constantly provided of an able, 
learned, orthodox minister or ministers o! good conversation, to dis- 
pense the word of God to them, which minister or ministers shall be 
suitably encouraged and sufficiently supported and maintained by the 
inhabitants of such town." It was made the duty of the court of 
quarter sessions to compel towns to comply with this law; and the 
court Wiis empowered to make such necessary orders as would insure 
maintenance of the preaching of the Gospel in every town. Churches 
were permitted to choose their own ministers, but were required to sub- 
mit their choice for tlie approval or disapproval of the inhabitants of the 
town; and if the town, by a majority of its votes, denied its approba- 
tion, the church could call in the help of a council consisting of the 
elders and messengers of three or five neighboring churches, which 
council had power to hear, examine and consider the exceptions and 
allegations made against the church's election; and if the council also 
disapproved, then the church had to make a new election, but if the 
council sustained the election of tlie church, their elected minister, 
upon accepting and settling with them, should be the minister of the 
town, and be snpported and maintained the same as though he had 
been chosen by the town. 

Organization of the Church. 

After the town of Mnrrayfield had elected to call Mr. Bascom 
according to the agreement drawn by Mr. Ballentine, then came the 
question of organizing the church. The Scotch element in town 
was quite large, and they probably preferred tiie Presbyterian form of 
church government; but the English element most likely preferred 
the Congregational form. At any rate it is certain that there was 
disagreement in the town upon this subject, which was compromised 



70 A HISTORY OF MUlUiAYFIELD. 

by au agreement entered into on the 14th of November, 1769, as 
follows: 

"Articles of agreem.cnt made and conchided by the inhabitants of 
Murrayfield. 

Whereas there is a difference of opinion among the inhabitants of 
Murrayfield with respect to the mode of church discipline, which differ- 
once seems to be an impediment to our settling a minister among us and 
enjoying the ordinances of the Gospel: we, the subsci'ibers, under a 
solemn sense of the importance of peace and union among churches, 
and with an earnest desire to remove every obstruction in the way of 
oar enjoying gospel ordinances, do agree and consent to the following 
ai'ticles, viz. : 

1. That there shall be a church incorporated in this place according "to the 
usual method iu the neighboring churcbes, that is to say, by a church cove- 
mnt & a confession of faith, which confession shall be agreeable to the West- 
minster confession, so-called. 

2. That all per.-?ons who shall desire to join themselves to this church after 
its incorporation shall be examined by its pastor & elders chosen to assist the 
pastor (as hereinafter mentioned) & shall be propounded to the church that 
any one may have opportunity to offer his objections against him if any there be, 
& shall be admitted by the recommendation of the pastor & elders & the 
vote of the brethren, & members of other churches who shall desire stated 
communiou with this church shall bring letters of recommendation from the 
churches to which they stand related. 

3. That there shall be a number of elders not exceeding seven chosen by 
the brethren of the church to join with & assist the pastor in ruling & govern- 
ing the church according to the word of God, & particularly in such matters 
as are hereinafter mentioned, & that any two of the elders with the pastor, in 
case more shall see fit not to attend, shall be a session. 

4. In all cases of offence where such private dealing as the gospel pre- 
scribes fails of bringing the matter to a peaceable issue the person or persons 
dissatisfied shall lodge with the pastor a written complaint, clearly & explicitly 
setting forth the matter of the offence & naming the witnesses who are to be 
cited in support of said complaint. 

5. When any complaint as aforesaid is lodged with the pastor he shall notify 
the party accused thereof & give him, if required, a copy of said complaint & 
a list of the witnesses' names fourteen days before he is required to make his 
defence, & in case the complainant shall, after he has exhibited his com()Jaint, 
with a list of his witnesses to the pastor, give notice of other witnesses to be 
cited, the party accused shall be allowed further time to prepare for his 
defence if he shall desire it. 

6. That the pastor with the ruling elders have full power to hear such 
complaint & judge & pass sentence thereupon. 

7. That if either party shall think himself aggrieved with the judgment of 



A HISTURY OF MURRAYFIELD. 71 

the session, he shall have liberty of an appeal to the church who shall have 
power to revise or confirm the judgment of the session as to them shnll seem 
right, & that the concurrence of the pastor with a major part of the brethren 
present (they having been duly notified to attend) shall in all eases be deemed 
a valid act of the church. 

8. In case either party shall be aggrieved with the judgment of the church 
there shall be liberty of an appeal to an evangelical council. 

9. That whenever there shall be occasion for an evangelical council, it 
shall be called by letters missive from the pas' or in the name & by the vote of 
the church; & said council shall if the church or any party concerned so 
request, consist of an equal number of Congregational & Pre^^byterian churches; 
provided, nevertheless, that in case any of the churches shall fail of attend- 
ing, so that there shall not be an equality of Presbyterian & Congregational 
churches actually present, such inequality shall be no bar to said courcil's 
proceeding & judging in the case to be referred, whose judgment shall be 
final & decisive. 

10. Tiiat in case any special difficulty shall arise between the pastor & the 
church or any particular members of the church or other fixed inhabitants of 
the town attending his ministry, which shall require the presence of a council, 
in such case a council shall be calhd in manner & form as above mentioned, 
to hear & judge the same, & their judgment shall be decisive. 

11. That in case the pastor shall refuse to join the church in calling a coun- 
cil in any case in which he is especially concerned, then the ruling elders or a 
majority of them, if they see fit, shall desire two or more neighboring churches 
to come & look into the matter; & if these churches find occasion for a council, 
they shall advise the pastor to join with the church in calling one — but in 
case he still obstinately refuses, then these churches so present shall have 
power to call an ecclesiastical council of such churches as they judge proper, 
after consulting the pastor & brethren thereupon; which council so called 
shall have full power to act to all intents & purposes as if it had been 
called by the pastor & brethren. 

12. And when the council is to be called the parties concerned shall have 
liberty to nominate the churches which are to form the cour.cil, & may pro- 

• ceed in the nomination till they name such as shall be agrepable to the church. 

13. That such persons as the pastor & elders shall approve, upon their con- 
senting to the confession of faith adopted by the church & to a covenant 
drawn up for them, shall, according to the Presbyterian method, have right 
to offer their children to baptism, though they do not see fit to join in 
full communion; & that all such persons as well as those in full communion, 
they being under no scandal, shall be allowed at all times to bring their chil- 
dren to baptism. 

14. That previous to the communion of the Lord's table the pastor shall set 
apart a suitable portion of time to prepare for that ordinance & that during the 
administration thereof he shall discourse upon the nature of the ordinance, & 
shall give suitable exhortation to the communicants as is practiced in Presby- 
terian churches. 



72 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

15. That it will be agreeable to our minds that the pastor should visit his 
flock & caution the members thereof as often as he judges convenient & the 
duties of his oflBce & other circumstances will allow." 

Signed by " Aaron Bascom, David Palmer, Abner Smith, Stephen Lyman, 
Timothy Smith, Samuel Pomeroy, John Kirlland, Samuel Matthews, Jonathan 
Hart Webber, Gideon Matthews, Timothy Lyman, William Miller, James Ham- 
bleton, Samuel Elder, Malcom Henry, William Moore, Jesse Johnson, Daniel 
Williams, Alexander Gordon, Ebenezer Webber, Jonathan Wait, James Clark." 



The Confession of Faith. 

The confession of faith was as follows: 

" We believe that there is one & but one only living & true God who is infi- 
nite in his being & perfection, power, wisdom, justice, holiness, goodness & 
truth, who is the creator, governor & disposer of ail things, & we believe in the 
unity of the godhead there are three persons of one substance, power & 
eternity— Father, Son, «fe Holy Ghost, & we believed that God created man 
male & female after his own image in knowledge, righteousness & true holi- 
ness & entered into a covenant of life with him upon condition of perfect 
obedience, forbidding him to eat of the tree of knowledge of good & evil upon 
the pain of death, & that our first parents being left to themselves sinned by 
eating the forbidden fruit & thereby brought themvelves & their ordinary 
posterity into a state of sin & miser\ ; & that God might have justly l-^ft them 
in that sta'e; but in His infinite wisdom & goodness sent his son to take upon 
him the human nature, who suffered & died & arose again the third day & 
appeared «& sitteth at the right hand of the father, continually making inter- 
cession for us, & will come to judge the world in righteousness at the last day, 
& by his perfect obedience & sacrifice of himself hath fully satisfied divine 
justice & the law that whomsoever believeth in him shall have everlasting 
life; »& we believe that God has elec^ed a certain number to everlasting life, 
whom he will effectually call, justify & sanctify in time & will secure against 
apostasy; which is accompli^-hed by the special influence of the blessed spirit, 
& that not the works of men but the risihteousness of Christ imputed to be- 
lievers is the sole ground of their justification before God, & that holiness of 
heart & life flow from that faith that unites the soul to Christ, and we believe 
that the scriptures of the d & New Testament are the word of God, & are 
a perfect rule of faith & practice. We believe in the great doctrines of the 
resurrection of the dead & future judgment & the eternal happiness of those 
that believe & obey the gospel, & the eternal misery of the unbelievers & diso- 
bedient." 

The names signed, as subscribing to this confession of faith, as they 
appear upon the chiTrch record such as was kept at different times^ 
are as follows: 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 73 

Aaron Baseom & wife, St^ephen Lyman, Timothy Lyman, John Laccore & 
wife, Timothy Smith & wife, Samuel Pomeroy & wife, Samuel Matthews & 
wife, Jesse Johnson & wife, Jonathan Wait & wife, Gideon Matthews & wife, 
David Palmer & wife, John Kirtlaud & wife, Abner Smith & wife, Wm. Mil- 
ler & wife, James Hamilton & wife, Edward Wright & wife, James Clark & 
wife, Reuben Woolworih & wife, Widow Webber, Samuel Wright & wife, 
Gershom Rust & wife, Samuel Elder & wife. 

The church was duly organized on the 20th of December, 1769. 
Only three elders were chosen at that time, to wit: Samuel Mattnews, 
John Kirtland, William Miller. 



Ordin^ation of Mh. Bascoji. ' 

On the same day the ordination of Mr. Baseom took place. This 
was a great event, for Murrayfield, and great preparations were made 
for the entertainment of the ministers and delegates from other 
churches whose presence was required for the occasion. The com- 
mittee appointed by the town to take charge of the arrangements 
were, Jesse Johnson, James Hamilton, John Kirtland, David Palmer, 
and Samuel Matthews. Some of the items of expense look queer to 
us, but they were in keeping with the views of people at that time, 
and are a part of the history of the town. Some of the items, which 
came before the town at the town meeting next following and were 
voted to be paid, are as follows: Three pounds and two pence half 
penny to Stephen Lyman for keeping the council and their hoi'ses 
and for going after rum and wine. Eleven shillings and three pence 
to Isaac Mixer for keeping the council. Five shillings and nine pence 
to Caleb Fobes for keeping ministers, to wit: Mr. Judd, Mr. 
Lathrop, and Mr. Ballentine. Eight shillings to James Hamilton for 
going to Brookfield and to Weston after ministers. Six shillings and 
five pence to Malcom Henry for keeping the Eev. Mr. Judd and Rev. 
Mr. Baldwin. One of the articles, inserted in the warrant for the 
March meeting, 1770, was, "To see if the town will give Stephen 
Lyman three shillings and two pence more for that wine that he 
borrowed for the ordination.^' The town voted to give it. 

Firewood for Mr. Bascom. 

At the December town meetings the town always took action about 
procuring Mr. Bascom's annual supply of firewood. The following 
vote was passed at the December meeting, 1770: "Voted to give Mr. 



74 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

John Mclntire two pounds and two shillings for to get the Rev. Mr. 
Bascom's firewood for the year to come, that is to say, a year from 
this date, and the wood to be cut eight feet long and piled np hand- 
somely at his door." 

Chuech Discipline. 

There were frequent cases of church discipline, as appears by the 
church record. A few specimens may not be uninteresting. June 21st, 
1771, a meeting of pastor and elders was held to hear a complaint 
made by Jonathan Wait, who was the miller, at what was afterwards 
known as Littleville, against Reuben Woolworth and his wife. The 
nature of the complaint does not appear by the record, which simply 
shows that a hearing was had and resulted in a dismissal of the com- 
plaint with a statement that Woolworth was guilty of only a human 
infirmity. But the Waits were not to be silenced in this way; and Mr. 
Wait and his wife jointly })referred another complaint against Mr. 
■Woolworth and his wife which was heard July 17th, 1771, and it 
appears to have been concerning a scandalous report that both Wait 
and his wife had taken undue toll at their gristmill. It was ordered 
that Mr. Woolworth make a private confession to Mrs. Wait and ask 
her forgiveness. But Woolworth afterwards complained that Mrs. Wait 
would not forgive him, and brought it again before the pastor and 
elders; and upon a hearing Mrs. Wait was adjudged innocent, which 
appears to have set the matter at rest so far as the church was con- 
cerned. In December, 1772, Abraham Flemmingwas summoned before 
the pastor and elders on a complaint made against him for fighting. 
He was found guilty; but he refused to admit his fault. Subse(|uently 
the matter was taken up again and he confessed ; whereupon he was 
restored to good and regular standing. January 26th, 1773, Abner 
Smith preferred a complaint against his brother, Timothy Smith, for 
profane swearing. Timothy was found guilty but refused to acknowl- 
edge his fault; and continuing obstinate and incorrigible he was excom- 
municated with solemn formality and declared to be as one of the 
heathen. At some time in 1774, however, Timothy, finding the odium 
of excommunication too much to bear, repented of his obstinacy and 
confessed his fault ; whereupon he was taken back into good and reg- 
ular standing in the church. The records show that Abraham 
Flemming was also dealt with for profane swearing ; as was also Mr. 
Crawford and Caleb Bascom. Caleb was also dealt with for the exces- 
sive use of intoxicating liquors. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 



Action of the Towx as to where Preaching shall be Done. 

In July, 1?7"3, the agreement fixed by the arbitration to have 
preaching part of the time^for three years from July, 17G9, at Isaac 
Mixer's Inn, had expired. The town then passed the following vote : 
''That Mr. Bascom shall not preach any more at the River on the 
Sabbath." Eiglit here began a difficulty which resulted in a division 
of the town. On the same day a protest was presented, which was 
entered upon the records of the town of Murrayfield, as follows : 

" Murrayfleld, July 24th. 1772. A protest of a number of the inhabitants 
of said town against a vote passed at a m^^eting of said town wherein it voted 
that no part of the preaching be at the River the present year. We, the sub- 
scribers, look upon it that we are unjustly injured by said vote, & shall declare 
against paying any part of the salary to the minister the ensuing year. Ebe- 
nezer Geer, John Kirtland, David Scott, Miles Washburn, Peter Williams, 
Elijah Geer, Isaac Mixer, Jr., Isaac Mixer, Caleb Fobes, Thomas Crow, David 
Palmer." 

John Kirtland. 

On the part of the people in the east end of the town, John Kirt- 
land — or more properly Kirkland — was the leading man. He came 
from Norwich, Ooun., and purchased a tract of land in the southwest 
corner of the Williams grant. He took up his residence in Murray- 
field sometime between September, 1769, and September, 1770. The 
record shows that he conveyed about 50 acres of his land to James 
Clark, June 20, 1708. This was not the James Clark who was ainong 
the first settlers of the town, but was James Clark of Norwich, Conn., 
who came to reside in town at a date later than his purchase of Kirt- 
land. At a town meeting held Decemner 14th, 1772, in view of the 
fact that the people in the east part of the town felt aggrieved by the 
action which had been taken touching the question of holding religious 
meeting watli preaching at the River, the town voted to "consent 
and agree that, Col. John Murray, Col. John Chandler, Timothy 
Paine, Esq., and Col. Abijah Willard shall be a committee to view 
and examine into the circumstances and situation of the town of 
Murrayfield respecting the town's being divided, and if they judge it 
best for tlie town to be divided, the town agrees to their fixing a line 
and establishing it for the division line, the east end of the town pay- 
ing the cost of the committee." 



76 A HISTORY OF 3IURRAYFIELD. 

The Question of Dividing the Town Refekred to the 
Original Proprietors. 

The proprietors took the subject into consideration and sent to the 
town the following response: 

"January 6th, 1773. To the inhabitants of Murrayfleld, in the County of 
Hampshire, whereas the said town at a meeting held on the 14ih day of 
December, 1772, among other things consented & agreed that we, the sub- 
scribers, be a committee to view and examine into the circumstances & situa- 
tion of said town respecting said town's being divided, & to agree, in case we 
think best to have a division, to fix the limit of division. We this day met 
upoij the affair, & heard Deacon John Kirtland & Mr. Timothy Smith, a Com- 
mittee chosen by .^aid town, & having maturely considered of the affair of 
dividing said town and the ciicumstances of the Eastern and Western parts 
of said town, are very sensible that the situation of the town is such that a 
division in some future time will be necessary; but as the town is now in its in- 
fancy & many of the inhabitants under low ciicumstances, not able at present to 
support the changes & build up another parish, therefore advise that the town 
continue together for the present, & look upon it reasonable that preaching be 
divided as has been usual between the East & West parts of the town. But in 
case a division is insisted upon by the inhabitants & peace cannot continue in 
the town without, we advise to the following division line, viz : Beginning at 
the southwest corner of the Ingersol grant & from thence extending on the 
west line of said grant till it comes to the second division lot No. 1. owned by 
John Chandler, Esq., & from thence a straight line to the southeast corner of 
lot No. 16 ; & from thence running on the east lines of lots Nos. 15, 28, & 29 
to Chesterfield southwest corner. And as the proprietors have been to great 
expense in settling said town, in case of division, the east part of said town 
must not expect any assistance from the proprietors, as we look upon it that a 
division at present will not serve the interest of said proprietors. Wishing 
you prosperity in all your affairs we subscribe your humble servants. 

John Chandler. 
TiMO. Paine. 
Abijah Willard. 
John Murray." 



Memorial to the General Court. 

At a town meeting held January 13th, 1773, it was voted that the 
town be divided upon the line recommended by the proprietors. 

The next measure taken in this business was the following memorial 
to the General Court : 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 77 

" Province of Massachusetts Bay. 

To his Excellency Thomas Hutchinson, Esq., Captain General & Governor in 
Chief of the province aforesaid. The Honorable his Majesty's Council & Hon. 
House of Representatives in General Court assembled at Boston, June, 1773. 

The memorial of John Kirtland of Murrayfleld, ia the county of Hampshire, 
as agent for & in behalf of such of the iahabitants of said Murraxtield as live 
in the easterly part thereof, humbly shows : That in the year 1762 this Great 
& General Court sold at public vendue to the Hon. John Chandler, Esq., & 
others all the lands of said MuiTHyfield (excepting what was before granted 
out to particular persons) for a certain price & on certain conduions of settle- 
ment as by the records of this Honorable Court appears; that there was 
theu about 7500 acres, part of said town granted out to particular persons, all 
lying eastward of a mountain, called Moose Hill, that runs north & souih 
through said township. That said Col. Chandler & others, the purchasers of 
the unappropriated lands there, had on their said lands (under contract of 
performing settlement duties) about forty persons, all of which excepting one 
were west of the line that said purchasers made the divisional line of said 
town. That in the year 1765, on the application of said purchasers of said 
unappropriated lands to this Honorable Court, & not by the inhabitants or 
any of them, the said lands including said grants & the inhabitants thereon 
were incorporated & erected into a town with the power and immunities of 
other towns in the province. That in the year 1767 a house of public worship 
was set up by said purchasers in said town on the west side of said Moose 
Mountain merely to accommodate their settlers, the inhabitants of that part 
of the town & where all the settlers under said purchasers, excepting one, 
then dwelt. 

That in the year 1765 eight or nine families were settled on the grants 
aforesaid, & the number of them now settled on said grants is increased to 
thirty-five. 

That since the year 1767, the said town has laid out considerable monies 
toward furnishiug the meeting house set up as aforesaid; that in 1770 the said 
town settled a minister & gave him seventy-five pounds for a settlement & en- 
gaged to give him sixty pounds per annum salary. That there are to this day 
but six families in said town settled east of said divisional line, under the said 
purchasers; all the rest being on the old grants aforesaid. That the building 
of said meeting house & settling said minister answer for said purchasers 
toward a fulfilment in part of the conditions of their grant from the province, 
& to the settlers under them it answers for a performance in part of their 
settling contract with said original proprietors, but answers no purpose of 
advantage whatever to any of the people settled on the east side of said moun- 
tain, as they cannot without insupportable expense & labor attend public 
worship among them, they all of them living from five to eight miles distant 
from said place of public worship beyond said mountain. That by the kind 
application of the original purchasers (in favor of their tenants or under pur- 
chasers) to this Honorable Court & procuring the incorporation aforesaid they 



78 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

have brought the settlers on the grants aforesaid (as they are the minor part 
of said town) subject to a proportion of the expense of fulfilling their duty in 
part to the province in regard to their lands in which these settlers have no 
interest & with whom most of them never consented to be any way concerned, 
& in the year 1768 when the first tax of eighty pounds was made for town 
charges, many of the settlers under the purchasers being turned off their lands, 
two-fifths of the burden of said tax actually fell upon the settlers on the 
grants. 

That these memorialists under the circumstances soliciting the town that as 
they p^id their proportion of these expenses of settling a minister, & pay their 
proportion of his yearly salary, that they might have a proportionable part of 
the preaching on their side of the mountain where they could enjoy it, which 
the town granted them for the space of three years; but since July last have 
wholly denied to do for the future. Your memorialists beg leave to observe to 
your Excellency & Honors that as the tract of land sold to these gentlemen was 
very large, much more than an ordinary township, they have been at a loss 
for the reason that induced your Excellency & Honors to make those grants 
(without the knowledge and consent of the proprietors and settlers) part of 
the same town with the Western part of said purchase, though they were never 
at a loss for the reason that induces said purchasers to apply for it. 

That this act of incorporation so extended has not only thus unequally 
burdened the present settlers of said grants in the respect before mentioned, 
but also in this respect : that it is a great discouragement to the further sale 
or settlement of such of said lands as yet remain unsold. 

The said memorialists, the inhabitants on the east side of said mountain, in 
said Murrayfield, under these difficulties are constrained humbly to implore 
your Excellency & Honors that there may be a division of the said town of 
Murrayfield by the following line, viz : Beginning at the southwest corner of 
Ingersole grant, so called, thence extending on the west line of said grant till 
it comes to the second division lot No. 1, owned by John Chandler, Esq. ; 
from thence a straight line to the southeast corner of lot No. 16 ; and from 
thence running on the east line of lots Nos. 15, 28, & 29 to Chesterfield south- 
west corner, & that the inhabitants & lands in said township east of said 
line may be erected into a separate town or di.^trict with the powers & privi- 
leges that other towns in this province enjoy. 

And as in duty bound shall ever pray, &c, 

John Kirtland, Agent for the memorialists." 



NoKwiCH Incorporated. 

This petition was presented to the General Courts June 12th, 1773,. 
and the petitioners were ordered to notify the proprietors of Murrayfield. 
But no opposition appears to have been made. June 29, 1773, an 
act was passed incorporating the territory lying east of the division 



A HISTORY OF 3IURRAYFIELD. 79 

line named in the memorial, as a separate district under the name of 
Norwich — or rather, in the language of the act, it was " erected into a 
separate district." 

It was "invested with all the powers, privileges, and immunities 
that towns in this province do, or by law ought to, enjoy; that of 
sending a representative to the General Assembly only excepted, and 
that the inhabitants of said district shall have full power, from time 
to time, to join with said town of Murrayfield in the choice of repre- 
sentative or representatives, which representative or representatives 
may be chosen indifferently either from said town or district, and 
the selectmen of said town of Murrayfield, as often as they shall 
call a meeting for the purpose of making choice of a representa- 
tive or representatives, shall give seasonable notice to the clerk 
of said district for the time being, of the time and place of said 
meeting, to the end that the said district may join them therein; 
and the clerk of said district shall set up in some convenient public 
place in said district, a notification thereof accordingly, or shall notify 
the district in such other way as said district may hereafter determine 
upon, and the pay and allowance of said representative or representa- 
tives to be borne by said town and district to their respective propor- 
tion of the province tax." The district was to pay its proportion of 
taxes; it was to enjoy its share of the ministerial lands; it was to have 
its proportion of the public money; it was to contribute its share 
towards the relief of the poor in Murrayfield, and to pay one-third 
of the taxes until a new valuation. Joseph Hawley, Esq., was em- 
powered to issue his warrant to call the first meeting. It is not at all 
probable that this district of Norwich ever enjoyed representation 
conjointly with Murrayfield in any other way than to submit to repre- 
sentation by a Murrayfield man. 

The memorial of John Kirtland on behalf of the inhabitants of the 
east part of Murrayfield, asking to be formed into a separate district, 
could not have been written by him, for, although he was a leading 
man, if not the leading man, among these people, subsequent records 
of Norwich, made by him as town clerk, clearly show that he was not 
equal to the framing of such a document. 

The first valuation list of Norwich was taken September 1, 1773, by 
John Kirtland, Caleb Fobes, and David Scott. The names contained 
therein are important as showing who were the tax paying inhabitants 
of the new town. 



so A llItiTCHiY OF MUnUAYFlELn. 

The 'I'ax payers in the New Town. 

'V\wy were as follows: 

Christian Angoll, Solonion liliiir, Thoiiuis Crow, James Crow, 
David Crow, John Crow, Wm. Carter, Asa Carter, Caleb Fobes, Wtn. 
Fobob, Elijah Fobes, Zebulon Fuller, James Fairman, Samuel Fair- 
num, Wm. Freneh, John Gris^old, James Oilmore, David Halberd, 
Jabez Homes, Nathaniel Bennett, John Barnard, Solomon Holaday, 
l>aiiiel Dana, John Crosj^ett, Ebeiiezer Freeman, Solomon Holaday, 
Patrick Crekle, John Kirthuul, Ebenezer Kin<,% Samuel Knight, 
Daniel Kirtland, Isaac Mixer, Isaac Mixer, Jr., Ebenezer Meacham, 
Win. Miller, David Palmer, John D. Palmer, David Palmer, Jr., 
Ca[)l. E. B. Geer, Elijah Ceer, Mace Cook, Zebulon Rose, John liude, 
David Scott, Joseph Stanton, John Fiil'any, Miles Washburn, Peter 
Williams, Daniel Williams, Charles Williams, Jabez Story, James 
Clark, Jehial P]gglest()n, Jonathan Ware, and B. (1. Peter Biinda. 

The assessors of Murraylield also took their valuation list in Sep- 
tember, 1773. The following is a full copy of the list and the 
valuations: 



The Taxpayers left in the Old Town. 



Archilus Anderson 

Geo. Armstrong 

.loliii liolton 

]);ivi(l Holton 

])iivi<l IJiuir 

.Ijuru!H I'.lack, Jr 

John Hluir 

Wrii. Jtell 

JariioH iilack 

Caleb P.aHoom 

Geo. Ulac.k 

Janios (lark 

Will, ('airipbell 

Saiiil. Mliier 

'I'lioH. Klder 

.John Klder 

Saiiil. lillis 

Bigott K^'Kleston 

Ben.ja. Ifefrleston 

Abratiani I'Meininfj; 

Jaiiies (Jihnore 

John (iilinoro 

Alexander (jordon 

Silby (ieer 

•lanui.s (if.i'.r 

Jai)ie« Hainillou 

Lieut Mellenry 

William Jlenry 

Andrew llenr.y 

Jes.se Jolinson 

Zebiilon .Jones 

John liUeeore 

Lemuel Laecore 

John Laecore, Jr . . 

Hteplieii Lyman 

Timothy Lyman 

John Meliitire 

JJani«;l Me(;ker 

Samuel jMatthews 

Gideon Matthews 

William \ioore 

James Mulhall^n 

Wld. Jane Mann 

William Mann 

l{ol)(;ri i'rootor 

Gershoni Itust 

Tiniotliy Smith 

Bavid Hliopard 

Kobert Smith 

Aljiier Smith 

David Scott 

'J'hos. Smith 

Abner Smitii. Jr 

Joel Seward 

Ezekiid Snow 

John Thomiison 

Jolin 'I'hoiniison, Jr 

John 'J'aylor 

Edward Wrifrht 

Edward Wright, Jr 

Nathan Wright 

Wazelial Wright 

Heuben Wool worth 

Jonathan ilart Webber. 

Jonathan Wait 

I.s:iae \V illiams 

JCnoch shcpard 

'J'hndd(;us Newton 

Gltidiah \ewton 

Robert (<'ield 

Daniel 'i' wad well 

George Napping 

John Wade. . 

Joseph Henry 



Polls 



Keal Estate 
a; s. d. 



01 
t;o 

20 
70 
10 

20 
27 
10 

08 
25 
(10 
■J!) 
30 
27 
30 
C(i 
24 



12 — 



M 





no 


— 


4(1 


10 


1!) 


10 


15 


12 


31 


10 


40 


04 


25 


— 


18 


— 


OS 





24 





24 


04 


14 


OH 


21 


12 


1!) 


10 


105 


08 


10 


10 



05 — — 



Personal 




Total 




£ 


s. 


d. 


£ 


s. 


d. 


02 


10 




08 


04 




01 


18 


— 


03 


08 





— 


— 


— 


07 


10 





13 


04 


— 


70 


04 





0(i 


14 


, — 


30 


14 





05 


08 


— 


28 


08 





()!l 


10 


— 


30 


10 





0!) 


12 





48 


12 





0^ 


— 


— 


02 




_ 


04 


17 





04 


17 





02 


03 


— 


03 


1!) 





12 


14 





72 


14 





12 


14 





30 


04 





13 


07 


__ 


83 


07 


_ 


03 


10 


— 


13 


10 


— 





— 


— 


•— . 


__ 


^ 


04 


10 


_ 


25 








01 


— 


— 


28 








02 


— 


— 


12 


10 





03 


08 


— 


01 


14 


_ 


— 


— 


— 


25 


— 





— 


— 





0<i 








12 


14 


— 


01 


14 





0!) 


14 


— 


40 


00 


__ 


02 


00 


— 


2!) 


00 


_- 


13 


05 


_ 


43 


17 





15 


0!) 





81 


0!) 





03 


li) 


— 


27 


10 


— 








— 





, 





07 


10 





23 


00 





01 


10 


— 


01 


M 





(1!) 


— 


— 


42 


18 





03 


13 


— 


25 


05 


- 



00 


09 


10 


12 


07 


18 


01 


18 


05 


09 


08 


17 


08 


15 


04 


03 


01 


18 


08 


— 


07 


17 


07 


10 


09 


— 


19 


— 


01 


18 


21 


17 



01 
09 

02 
05 
01 
00 
01 
09 

05 
05 
07 
06 



73 


09 


00 


12 


54 


08 


21 


08 


21 


01 


40 


07 


48 


19 


•-'9 


03 


19 


18 


10 


— 


31 


17 


31 


14 


23 


08 


40 


12 


21 


08 


127 


05 


10 


10 



01 

72 

02 
05 
01 
48 
15 
49 



45 — 

40 00 

31 04 

42 07 

30 — 

91 07 



10 — 



82 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

The total valuation in Murraytleld in 1773, after Norwich was set 
off, amounted to 2,178 pounds and 19 shillings. 

FiKST Town Meeting after the Division. 

On the 7th of August, 1773, the selectmen of Murrayfield 
issued a warrant for a town meeting to be held the 16th. An exact 
copy of. the warrant and of the record of the meeting will convey 
more information upon several points than any description, or state- 
ment of facts, that can be written within the same space, so I pro- 
pose to give them in full : 

" Hampshire, ss. To Mr. William Henry, Constable of Murrayfield, greet- 
ing : In his majesty's name, you are hereby required forthwith to warn & give 
notice to all & every one of the freeholders & other inhabitants of the town 
of Murrayfield that are qualified according to law to act in town affairs to 
assemble &, meet at the meeting house in said town on Monday the 16th day 
of August, inst., at one of the clock in the afternoon, then & there to act on 
the articles as follows, namely : 

1st To choose a moderator to preside in said meeting. 

2d To choose town officers that are set off in Norwich District, to supply 
their places. 

3d To see if the town will choose a committee of correspond to consult 
upon the letters that are sent from Boston concerning the Governor & to 
write back an answer to the committee of correspond at Boston their re.«ult 
of the same & for the town to give the committee their instructions what they 
would have done. 

4th To see if the town will choose a committee to reckon with the town 
Treasurer that was in last year. 

5th To see if the town will allow Isaac Mixer anything for the use of his 
house the three years that one-third of the preaching was there. 

6th To see if the town will do anything further in order to get the old 
warrants sealed and made good. 

7th To see if the town will do anything about seating the meeting house 
this summer ; & if they should, to see what method the town will come into 
respecting the same, & to pass such votes as they shall judge best & most 
proper respecting the same. 

8th To see if the town will choose a committee to join with a committee 
from Norwich District in order to look into the town affairs that has been 
transacted whilst we were all together, & likewise to look into the bill of incor- 
poration respecting the money that the town has to pay back to the district, & 
to make report of their doings to the town the next town meeting. 

9th To see if the town will choose a committee to settle with Abner Smith 
& to look over his rate bills & see if there is not a mistake made in the footing 
or carrying out, & to make report of their doings to the town the next town 
meeting. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 83 

10th To see if the town will alter the sum of the school money that was 
voted last March meeting, & to pass such vote as the town shall judge best. 

11th To see if the town will allow David Scott & Lieut. Clark particular 
men's rates they cannot collect. 

13th To see if the town will vote to have the assessors go round to every 
man to take the valuation this year. 

13th To see if the town will vote any more highway work to be done soon 
on the county road that goes to Worthington & pass such votes as the town 
thinks best respecting the same. 

14th To see if the town will allow Samuel Elder six shillings that he paid 
to the town when he was constable that he could not collect. 

15th To hear the report of the committee that is appointed to settle the 
places where men's and women's schools shall be kept, & to pass such vote as 
the town shall judge best. 

Hereof fail not & make return of this warrant with your doings thereon to 
some one of the Selectmen before the meeting as you will answer the law in 
that case made and provided. Given under our hands & seals this seventh 
day of August & in the thirteenth year of his majesty's reign, Anno 
Domini, 1773. 

David Shepard, ) Selectmen 
Abner Smith, jMurrayfield." 

'.'Additional article. 

16th To see if the town will do anything respecting the road that goes 
through David Scott's land down Moose Hill." 

"The foregoing is a true copy of the warrant, examined & recorded by 
me David Shepard, town clerk." 

"Hampshire, ss. By virtue of this warrant I have warned the inhabitants 
of the town of Murrayfieldto meet according to the time and place mentioned. 

William Henry, Constable of Murrayfield." 

" Murrayfield, August 16th, 1773. At a legal meeting of the freeholders & 
other inhabitants of the town of Murrayfield regularly assembled at the meet- 
ing house the following things was acted upon & voted, viz. : 

1. Chose Mr. Timothy Smith moderator for said meeting. 

2. Voted to choose town officers that are set off in Norwich. Chose 
William Campbell Assessor and sworn. Chose Caleb Bascom Sealer of 
Weights & Measures. Chose Bigott Eggleston Sealer of timber & lumber & 
sworn. 

3. Voted not to choose a committee of correspond. 

4. Voted Timothy Smith, Jesse Johnson, & James Hamilton to settle with 
Malcom Henry, town treasurer. 

5. Voted not to allow Isaac Mixer anything for the use of his house. 

6. Voted not to do anything respecting the getting the old warrants 
sealed at present. 

7. Voted to seat the meeting house floor. 



84 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

8. Voted to have two fore-seats ia the body, two on each side. 

9. Voted that those that are highest in valuation shall have the highest 
pews, and voted that Deac. Samuel Matthews, Lieut. Malcom Henry, & Ensign 
Stephen Lyman be a committee to dignify the pew ground. 

10. Voted that those that draw the pews shall build the fore-seats & their 
pews by the first of July next or lose their right in the pews. 

11. Voted that the committee lay out the pew ground by the 25th of this 
month. 

13. Voted that the same committee that is to reckon with the treasurer 
shall be a committee to meet the Norwich committee & look over the town 
affairs whilst together, & look up their bill of incorporation to see what 
money we must pay back to them. 

13. Voted Ensign Stephen Lyman, Doct. David Shepard, & James Hamilton 
to be a committee to look over Abner Smith's rate bill «& see if there is not a 
mistake in footing as it now stands. 

14. Voted to abate four pounds of the school money. 

15. Voted to assist Mr. David Scott to get a committee from the court to 
view the road down Moose Hill if they will come without our paying of them. 

16. Voted to give Lieut. Clark Moses Haile's rate till he can get it, & Mr. 
Scott Moses Haile's rate & Holyday's. 

17. Voted that the assessors take the valuation without going round to 
them. 

18. Voted to cut out Worthington road so as the surveyors shall think it 
will do, & they to have the same price they had before. 

The foregoing are the votes passed in the meeting. Test per me Timothy 

Smith. 

Moderator." 

Seating the Meeting- House. 

The next action of the town was to seat the meeting-house. A 
towu meeting for that jjurpose was held August 25th, 1773. 

Samuel Mattliews was chosen moderator, and the following votes 
were then passed: 

"Voted to reconsider those votes that was passed at the last meeting re- 
specting the seating of the meeting house." 

" Voted to have two seats, one on each side of the Broad Alley." 

" Voted that Jonathan Wait, Timothy Smith, Samuel Elder, John Laccore, & 
Capt. Zebulon Jones shall have the fore-^eat, on their building one of them, 
during their life or residence in town." 

" Voted that Abner Smith & wife shall have the privilege of sitting in the 
fore-seat on his building one of them." 

"Voted that Abner Smith & David Shepard shall have the pew next to the 
fore-seat on the right of the Broad Alley to them and their heirs so long as the 
meeting house stands," 



A HISTORY OF MUKRAYFIELD. 85 

"Voted that Deac. Samuel Matthew.'^, Deac. Jesse Johnson, & Deac. James 
Hamilton & their wifes shall have the next pew to the pulpit as long as the 
meeting house stands." 

"Voted that Benj. Eggleston, John Laccore, Jr., John Elder, Thos. Smith, 
Nathan Wright, Bazaliel Wright, George Black, Abner Smith, Jr., Andrew 
Henry, & John Smith shall^ have the fore-seat in the front gallery upon their 
raising the gallery stairs & building the seat." 

"Voted that what the committee did with respect to seating the meetirg 
housi^ & dignifying: the pew ground shall stand." 

" Voted that the persons that possess the pews shall have them to them & 
their heirs so long as the meeting house stands." 

"Voted that those persons that draw the pew ground .<shall have them 
established to them on the consideration of their building the gallery stairs 
& that those pews & stairs shall be built by the last of May next, & if any per- 
sons refuses to join with his partner in building said pew he shall forfeit his 
title to said pew to his partner that builds it." 

"Voted that the young men that are seated in the front gallery shall build 
the seat through the front & make a division in the middle, one half for them 
& the other half for the girls." 

"Voted that the people that possess the pews shall pay the cost of the 
building the gallery stairs equally on the poll." 

" Voted that every man that is set down in the plan of the meeting house 
shall possess the pews according to the number." 

" Voted that Gershom Rust & his wife shall sit with Mr. Jonathan Wait & 
Edward Wright, Jr., upon their giving consent." 

The town took some action touching Mr. Bascom's supply of fire- 
wood, from which it appears that wood was worth four shillings per 
cord at that time in Murrayfield. 



A Hf STORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 



Plan of the Lower Floor of the First Church in 
murratfield, in 1773. 



D,g2//% 




Waiard 
Wccrd 




Du-6 

Caleb Bascom 

Sibel Qeer 

Zben Snoiv 



Tim' Paine 



Falpifr. 



five Sea. Is. 


i?2 mi 


Digi N'S 










^1^ 


5 5 « 3 


^ 


I ^? 


D^. J 


1)2,-1 


a ^ 


■ ^^ 


" 1 




a Si 

-1 




R\ 




DlH - 1 


Di -■S 






"s 


a 






JosffamiUon 
S-M^tthews 

hsejohmon 



Im Clarke 
VavBolton 
Joel Seward 



D.2 -J 
t. Wright 
F Woolifvorth 
Sam ^ Elder 



J'li/e Seats 


Ti,g 1 MOU. 


i'/y.2 ^?2 


Co S 


f i 


if -1 

1 ^ 


-rt 


^5: 


ft is 


J)3~'Z 


D3 - U- 






^^ 


^^ ^ 




c3 


J)i-G 


VU--1 


^ ^ 
5 s 


W^ 


4 B 





frontdoor 



John Mi^rruy 



Du- d 

Jos. Qter 

Jos. Q/lmore 



Col. 
Willard 



JohnjayJoi 







CHAPTER FIFTH. 

Caring for the Meeting-house, 

It IS not my purpose to write anything of the history of tlie church 
as an ecclesiastical entity. But this history would be incomplete and 
unsatisfactory if the history of the meeting-house and the ministry, so 
far as it touches the town in its corporate capacity, were left out; for 
the care of the meeting-house and the maintenance of the gospel min- 
istry were matters of public concern, and were of the duties required of 
towns by law. It is also interesting as an exhibition of how these 
things were done in the good old days of our rigidly pious ancestors. 
The care of the meeting-house, provided for by the town at its annual 
town meeting as a part of the regular business of the town, is worthy 
our attention. In JV^arch, 1774, the town voted to employ John 
Mclntire, who lived near by, to sweep the meeting-house and lock and 
unlock the doors for one year; and liis compensation was fixed at three 
shillings for the year. This was not so small a sum for the service 
wlien we take unto account that the making and care of fires was no 
part of the duty, and that there Avas no church bell to ring. Then 
again, Mclntire would attend church every Sunday any way, so that 
the matter of unlocking the doors before service and of locking them 
again after service imposed upon him no burden except a little earlier 
and a little later attendance. The sweeping was not frequent. At 
the March meeting in 1777, the town voted "to sweep the meeting- 
house twelve times a year ; " — so says the record. The sweeping was 
done, of course, by proxy, and John Mclntire was the proxy. In 
1779, Mclntire, who was in the militia, had been promoted — it was 
a sergeant's warrant. At the March meeting the town voted " to pay 
Sergeant John Mclntire eleven dollars to sweep the meeting-house for 
the ensuing year." But in 1782, John Mclntire had been promoted 
again— it was a lieutenant's commission this time. So far as the 
records show he never again swept the meeting-house. Sergeants, 
however, were still available, and the job of sweeping the meeting- 
house twelve times a year was given, by vote of the town, to Sergeant 
Draper at a salary of five shillings for the year. In 1780, the town 
voted '' to give Deac. Matthews five shillings to sweep the meeting- 
house twelve times the ensuing year, at the rate of two shillings per 
bushel for Indian corn." 



88 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

The unfinished condition of the meeting-honse is attested by tlie votes 
passed iu town meeting from time to time. At the March meeting, 
1774, the town voted that ''Mr. Aaron Bell and Mr. Matthew Camp- 
bell may build one pew on the south side of the west door, and sit 
there during the town's pleasure, and if the town dispossess them, to 
pay them their cost of building." The following article appeared in 
the warrant for the December meeting, 1775: " To see if tlie town 
will vote to board up the windows in the meeting house and p:iss such 
vote as they think proper." 

At a meeting held May 20, 1777, it was voted " that the town will 
build all the pews on the lower floor at the cost of the town for the 
use of those that are destitute of pews,'' and Lieut. William Moore, 
Deacon Jesse Johnson, and Capt. Henry were chosen a committee to 
attend to the building of them. The town also voted " that Lieut. 
AVilliams and wife, John Abbott and wife, and Abiel Abbott should sit 
in Ward and Willard's pew until pews are built."' This pew was one 
of those reserved by the proprietors when they gave the meeting- 
house to the town. Its owners were non-residents. 

At the March meeting, 1782, the town voted "to put in studds and 
raves for the present in the side of the gallery, and rough-board them, 
and make a seat convenient for the people to sit in." This was estimated 
to require five hundred feet of boards. Deacon Johnson, Gideon 
Matthews, and David Shepard were chosen a committee to do the 
work, and were required to have it done by the last of May. In 
August, 1782, William Foot and William Stone were appointed a 
committee ''to board the meeting house windows up tight to keep out 
the rain." It was also voted "that Edward Wright, Jr., come and 
view the glass windows of the meeting house and fix them up as well 
as he can, and the town will pay him." 

At the meeting in May it was voted that, pending the building of 
the pews on the lower floor, " Ebenezer Dowd and wife, William 
Mclntire, John Thompson and wife, and Samuel Gould and wife are 
seated in Col. Willard's pew for the present ;" and it also recorded in 
the town records of that meeting that "Lieut. William Moore and 
Timothy Lyman give leave if the pew is full, they may sit in their 
pew;" also that "Abner Smith, Jr., and wife sit in Deacon Matthews' 
pew until the pews are built." 

Manner of Seating Worshippers. 

The matter of adjusting people with regard to their proper dignity 
was by no means free from difficulty. It must have been as delicate a 



A HISTORY OF 3IURRAYFIELD. 89 

piece of social engineering as seating the singers of a volunteer chorus 
choir. As we have seen, this was arranged according to the rating 
of individuals in the town valuation list. We arrange it on the same 
principle now — the wealthiest hire the best pews, — but there was 
somewhat more formality in the manner of arranging this question 
by our ancestors. The pews were arranged with strict regard to the 
dignity of location. It is not to be j^resumed that every one was satis- 
fied, although injured pride was -not always spread upon the town 
records. Indeed, few people care to expose to the public gaze, the 
bandages with which they bind up their hurt feelings. But David. 
Bolton was not to be suppressed by any such delicacy. In ]774, he 
complained to the town, and brought his complaint before tlT£ town 
meeting, "that he did not have his right in the meeting house accord- 
ing to his valuation." But the town wisely refused to do anything 
about it. Over sensitive people seldom receive any comfort at the 
hands of public assemblies. In public assemblies there is usually a 
disposition to be fair and just; and this was exhibited toward Tim- 
othy Smith, who, in 1778, represented to the town that as he lived in 
the east part of the town he preferred to attend public worship with 
the people of Norwich, and asked to be relieved from the minister 
tax in Murrayfield, His request was granted. 

The following queer vote was passed at a meeting in 1774 : " That 
Eobert Proctor and Jonas Henry shall have the pew spot between 
Caleb Basconr's pew and the stairs as other people have theirs." 

Mk. Bascom's Fikewood. 

There was always a town meeting held in November or in December, 
at which it was one of the regular items of business to vote a supply 
of firewood for the Eev. Mr. Bascom, in accordance with the terms of 
his settlement. At first there was, probably, little or no difficulty in 
obtaining a suitable supply ; but in December, 1775, the vote of the 
town indicates that the duty had been thrown upon the individual 
citizen to furnish each his share of this supply of wood for the par- 
sonage. The town voted that "Lieut. Enoch Shepard, Mr. Wm. 
Moore, Mr. Reuben Woolworth, and Mr. John Mclntire be a commit- 
tee to desire the people in their quarter to get said wood on days they 
shall appoint, and that if any person neglect his duty as to getting 
wood, said committee make return of their names and neglect to be 
read in open town meeting." It is to be presitmed that this threat 
had the desired effect ; for no names were reported. This was un- 



90 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

doubtedly a burdensome way of furnishing the wood, and very likely 
it fell unequally upon the people in proportion to their distance from 
the parsonage. The roads were poor and difficult for traveling, and 
often so drifted with snow as to be nearly or quite impassable for 
loaded teams. Perhaps this would explain the action of the town in 
November, 1777, in choosing a committee consisting of Deacon James 
Hamilton, Gideon Matthews, and Sergeant John Mclntire to wait 
upon and " try to hire Rev. Aaron Bascom to get his firewood, and 
report to the meeting in half an hour." The committee soon returned 
and reported an arrangement with Mr. Bascom to the effect that he 
would accept from the town the sum of thirty dollars and get his own 
firewood." The town voted to accept the arrangement. This, of 
course, meant a money tax upon each one ; and this, too, was burden- 
some. People living near, or who could easily reach the parsonage 
with loaded teams, preferred to pay the tax in wood. So in Novem- 
ber, 1778, the town voted Mr. Bascom thirty dollars for his firewood, 
but with the provision that '^ifany man gets his share of the fire- 
wood by the middle of December next, he shall have at the rate of ten 
shillings per load 3 feet high, 4 feet wide, and 8 feet long." But at 
the November meeting, 1779, with a list of about one hundred tax 
payers, the town voted to pay John Mclntire seventy-five pounds to 
get Mr. Bascom's firewood for the year ensuing, and that every man 
who brings one-half cord by the 1st of January shall be allowed 
fifteen shillings out of his town rate, and that the same shall be de- 
ducted from the seventy-five pounds." After this it does not appear 
that there was any difficulty in getting the parson's firewood. At a 
meeting held in October, 1780, the town voted ''to pay John Hamil- 
ton four pounds and eight shillings in the old way to get Eev. Mr. 
Bascom's firewood the year ensuing, he allowing each man to get his 
proportion of wood by the 15th of December, next, and to be allowed 
two shillings and six pence j)er cord the old way." In November, 

1781, under an article in the warrant ''To let out the getting wood 
for our Rev. Pastor the year ensuing," it was by vote let out to Lieut. 
John Mclntire for three pounds and eight shillings. In November, 

1782, the town voted sixty pounds for Mr. Bascom's salary and three 
pounds to get his firewood. 

Mr. Bascom's Salary. 

As the currency depreciated during the War of the Revolution, Mr. 
Bascom found his salary insufficient, and on Thanksgiving Day, 1778, 
he laid the matter before the congregation in a letter read from the 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIETA\ 91 

pulpit, wliich led to the calling of a town meeting to be held Decem- 
ber IGth, " to give answer to Rev. Mr. Bascom's letter, which he read 
last Thanksgiving Day, and to see if the town will vote to raise any 
money or specie for the use of Rev. Mr. Bascom on account of the 
deficiency of our paper currency." After the meeting was opened a re- 
quest was sent to Mr. Bascom to attend the meeting and have his 
letter read. The result of this meeting was a vote "to ])ay Mr. 
Bascom for his support for the year ensuing forty pounds in specie or 
labor, as labor and specie went amongst us in the year 1774, or money 
■enough to buy so much specie at the year's end, or by 20th of next 
December." 

Depreciated Currexcy. 

In 1779, Congress issued $140,000,000 currency, worth in coin only 
$7,000,000. It depreciated more rapidly than it was issued. In 
March, 1780, Congress decided to resume in silver at the rate of one 
dollar in silver to forty in paper. No wonder Mr. Bascom complained 
when his salary was paid in the depreciated continental currency. 

Cemetery. 

The clearing of the land about the meeting house and in the ceme- 
tery was limited to what was absolutely necessary; and no wonder, 
for these people had enough to do in clearing their own farms. At 
the March meeting in 1774, the town voted " to clear the grave yard 
and around the meeting house." But time passed on and little or no 
improvement was made, as would appear from the following article 
in the warrant for a town meeting to be held in April, 1770 : "To 
see if the town will vote to do any work this summer on the burying 
yard to make it decent." That its condition was bad and that some 
of the people of the town were a good deal in earnest about it may 
fairly be inferred from the following vote : " That all the polls in this 
town shall work one day on the grave yard by the 20th of June next, 
or pay four shillings, and that the selectmen shall notify the people 
what work to do." At this time there were nearly one hundred polls 
in the town ; which would indicate that a good deal of work was 
needed to put the cemetery in decent condition. 

In May, 1777, the town voted "to get a funeral cloth." 

Schools. 

The inhabitants of Murrayfield were never indifferent to the subject 
of education, but poverty often prevented them from appropriating 



92 A HISTORY OF MURRAY FIELD. 

money for schools. lu the warrant for the December meeting, 1775;, 
there was an article " to see if the town will vote any school money and 
how much, and when to pay it into the treasury." But the town 
voted to raise no money. In March, 1777, the town voted "to raise 
no money either for schools or highways this year." The vote in 1778 
was to raise no money for schools. But at the March meeting, 1779. 
the town voted "to raise some school money this present year, and to 
have it divided according as the committee shall divide the districts." 
Deacon James Hamilton, Doctor David Shepard, Samuel Jones, 
Lieut. James Clark, and Samuel Ellis were chosen a committee to 
divide the town into school districts ; and it was " voted to raise one 
penny half penny on the pound and as much on the poll in proportion 
as other taxes are laid for the support of schools this year." In May 
of the same year the town voted to do something with the school 
lands ; and Lieut. Newton Parmenter, Capt. Smith, and Capt. Enoch 
Shepard were chosen a committee to view the school lands, and make 
report to the next town meeting. 

In April, 1780, the question of building school houses was 
brought before the town. The vote was that the town build none 
this year, but that permission be given to each school district to build 
one not exceeding the dimensions of twenty feet long, by eighteen 
feet wide, and one story high; and also that the districts be permitted 
to choose their own committees to build the houses. It was further 
voted not to raise any more money for schools the present year. But 
in June of the same year the town voted to raise four hundred pounds 
for the support of schools. In May, 1781, the town voted to raise for 
schools " thirty pounds in hard cash or paper currency equivalent," 
to be paid in by November 1st. In the warrant for the meeting in 
November, 1781, was an article "' to see if the town will choose com- 
mittees in their several districts to see that their school money is ex- 
pended according to law\" The town voted such committees in the 
several districts as follows : Ensign Stephen Lyman for the Middle 
District, Deacon James Hamilton for the North End District, Samuel 
Jones for the Eggleston District, Aaron Bell for the Abbott District, . 
Gershom Eust for the East District, Jabez Tracy for the South 
District, and Robert Proctor for the West Branch. 

Leasing School Lands. 

In February, 1783, the town passed the following vote: " That the- 
Selectmen and their successors in said office be a committee to hunt 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 93 

up tlie school lands lying in, and belonging to, the township of Mur- 
rayfield ; and they are hereby directed to ajDpraise said school lands 
for its real value per acre cash in hand, and to lease out said lands 
to any person or persons by the lot or j^art of a lot for any term of 
time not exceeding nine hundred and ninety-nine years ; the j)erson 
or persons to pay the lawful interest annually on the sums which said 
lands shall amount to; the lease to be so framed that in case the 
interest shall not be paid annually, the selectmen are hereby em- 
powered to sue said lease or leases in such manner as the law directs ; 
and said lands to return to the town again to dispose of." 

A specimen copy of the leases drafted under this vote will not be 
uninteresting. 

" This agreement made this twenty-seventh day of February in the year of 
our Lord 1783 between Wilham Campbell & John Blair selectmen of Murray- 
field & Enoch Shepard of Murrayfield, all in the County of Hampshire, 
gentlemen, witnesseth: that agreeably to a vote of the freeholders & other in- 
habitants of the town of Murrayfield, assembled in a legal town meeting on 
the third day of February, inst., & passed a vote to lease out their school 
lands, & that the selectmen and their successors in said office should be a com- 
mittee for said purpose; in conformity to said vote, we, by these presents, 
have agreed to lease out one lot of said school land to said Enoch Shepard for 
the term of nine hundred and ninety-nine years from the date above. Said 
lot is called a fifty acre lot in the Third Division on the West Branch, be the 
same more or less. Bounded as follows, viz., by letter F northeasterly, by 
No. 7 southeasterly, by No. 5 southwesterly, by No. Nought northwesterly. 
The above described lot is leased out to said Enoch Shepard, his heirs & 
assigns for the above term of nine hundred & ninety-nine years on the follow- 
ing terms: Said school lot as above described is valued by our appraisment 
at twenty-five pounds lawful money. The interest of twenty-five pounds 
lawful money at six per cent, is to be paid annually by Enoch Shepard his 
heirs & assigns into the hands of the Selectmen of Murrayfield. And in case 
the interest is not paid agreeably to the above terms the Selectmen of said 
town of Murrayfield are to ask & demand of said Enoch Shepard his heirs & 
assigns the interest as above; & if the interest is not paid within sixty days 
after such demand is made, the Selectmen then in being are to inform said 
Enoch Shepard, his heirs & assigns that this lease with all its privileges is for- 
feited & to be considered as nul & void & is to be at the disposal of the town 
again unless in extraordinary case, viz: if said Enoch Shepard, his heirs or 
assigns should be absent or should be delerious or in case of decease, in such 
cases said Enoch Shepard, his heirs & assigns, are to make good all interest 
that may be due with all reasonable damages for any neglect longer than the 
term of eighteen months, when such extraordinaries may happen, & if such 
neglect exceeds the term of eighteen months then the above demand of the 
Selectmen to be in force. By virtue of the power & authority to us given by 



94 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

said vote of the third day of February, inst., & by these presents, to have &r 
to hold the said premises together with all their appurtenances to him the 
said Enoch Shepard, his heirs & assigns as an absolute estate of inheritance 
for the term of time as above. 

" And we, the said William Campbell & John Blair, do in our said capacity & 
in the name & behalf of the town, covenant & engage that said demised prem- 
ises to him, the said Enoch Shepard, his heirs and assigns, against the lawful 
claims & demands of all persons whatsoever hereafter for the term of time as 
above to warrant, secure, & defend by these presents. 

" In witness whereof we, the said William & John, in our said capacity & in 
behalf of said town, have hereunto set our hanSs and seals this seventeenth 
day of February, A. D. 1783. 

Signed, sealed, & delivered 1 Enoch Shepard & Seal. 
in preseDce of ! 

David Shepard, | John Blair & Seal, ) Selectmen of 

LuciNDA Shepard. J William Campbell & Seal. \ Murrayfield." 

This lease was recorded in the record book of the town of 
Murrayfield. 

Similar leases were given of other tracts of school land after the 
name of the town was changed from Murrayfield to Chester. 

SCHOOLHOUSES. 

At a town meeting held April 7th, 1783, the town "voted that the 
Middle School District have liberty to set a school house on the town's 
land the west side of the highway west of the burying yard." This 
was the west side of the road leading to the East Branch, and on the 
spot where the present schoolhouse stands at Chester Center, and is 
within the eight acres laid out for a meeting-house place, and burial 
place, and a training field in 1763. 

Town Pound. 

At the annual town meeting, 1774, the town voted for the first time 
to build a pound, and appropriated for this purpose the sum of twelve 
pounds. This was equal to the sum which the undivided town 
appropriated for schools the previous year. 

In July, 1778, the town voted '^that the rams must be shut up from 
September 20th to November 20th on penalty of forfeiture of the ram 
to the person finding it." In March, 1782, the town voted " that 
hogs should not run at large during any part of the year." 

The progress attained in cattle raising, as late as 1776, may be 
judged by an article which w^as in a town meeting called in June, 1776: 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 95 

"To see if the town will vote to hire a bull for the service of the 
town.'"' The town voted against the article. 

Wolves. 

At a meeting held as late as 1781, one item of business was, " To see 
if the town will vote to give a bounty for wolves' heads," and the 
town voted "to give twelve shillings for a wolf head if it is killed by 
any of the inhabitants of this town in this or in the neighboring 
towns." This was the first action taken by the town in any town 
meeting upon this subject; and down to the spring of 1783 no action 
appears to have been taken by the town touching wolves, other than 
the vote above named. 

First Justice of the Peace. 

In the warrant calling the December town meeting in 1775, was the 
following article : " To see if the town will vote to have a justice of 
the peace in this town and also nominate one." The vote taken under 
this article is recorded as follows : " Voted that it is the mind of the 
town if there is established to confess judgment for debts it is best to 
have a justice of the peace in town, also nominated Lieut. Enoch 
Shepard." 

Form of Caption of Town Warrants. 

Prior to 1775 town meetings were called by warrants issued "in his 
majesty's name;" but in this year the warrants were directed to the 
constable, requiring him, "in the name and by the direction of the 
Continental Provincial Congress," to warn, etc. 

Town Poor. 

The question of supporting the poor in the town came up in 
town meeting for the first time in June, 1778, in the form of a propo- 
sition "to see if the town would choose a committee to take care of 
the poor in town." The town refused to choose a committee. It 
does not appear whether the town had in any way provided for the 
poor; neither does it appear that there had been poor persons in the 
town needing public charity, except as it may be inferred from the fact 
of bringing the question before the town. 

Small-pox and Inoculation. 

The action of the town at a town meeting held in April, 1778, touch- 
ing inoculation as a protection against small-pox is interesting as giv- 



96 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

ing some idea of how this was managed before the world was in })osses- 
sion of Jenner's discovery, which was made about this time. At this 
meeting the town voted that " Capt. Shepard may have his family 
inoculated in his house if he will give good obligations for his good 
behavior/' and that he ''may let others of this town as .long as the 
first day of May and no longer, if there is room for them." In May 
following the town voted ''that any person may have liberty to have 
the small-pox by inoculation in the fall at proper places as the town 
shall judge best." The process of inoculation Avas as follows: "If 
the matter of a variolous (or small-pox) pustule, taken after the com- 
mencement of the eighth day, be inserted in or beneath the skin of a 
person who has not previously suifered from small-pox, the following 
phenomena are induced: 1. Local inflammation is set up; 2. At the 
end of six days there is fever similar to that of small-pox; and 3. After 
the lapse of three more days, there is a more or less abundant eruption 
of pustules. This process is termed inoculation, and the disease thus 
produced is denominated inoculated small-pox. The disease produced 
in this artificial manner is much simpler and less dangerous than 
ordinary small-pox; and as this was an almost certain means of pre- 
venting a subsequent attack of the ordinary disease, inoculation was 
much practiced until the discovery (about 1796) of the anti-variolous 
power of vaccination." See Chamber's Encyclopedia. 

In the spring of 1720 small-pox broke out again in Massachusetts 
after an interval of about twenty years, and "out of five thousand 
eight hundred and eighty-nine persons who were attacked in Boston," 
says Barry, " eight hundred and forty-four died." In view of this fact 
it is strange that any intelligent person should question the import- 
ance of vaccination, or the wisdom of the law requiring it. Barry 
adds: "The practice of inoculation had been recently introduced 
into Europe, and Cotton Mather, one of the ministers of Boston, hav- 
ing read in the Transactions of the Royal Society of England, of which 
he was a member, letters from Constantinople and Smyrna giving an 
account of its practice and its success, interested himself to introduce 
it into America; but his application to the physicians of the town was 
at first unsuccessful." For a time it met with bitter opposition, based 
upon all sorts of grounds, moral, religious and political; and violence 
was indulged in, both by words and acts. 

Highways. 

As we have already seen, building and repairing of highways were 
always important items of expense to the town. The roads over the 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 97 

highlands were not only difficult to travel, but often difficult to make 
and keep in repair in places where the grade is steep, rendering them 
liable to be washed badly by heavy rains, and in the spring by the rapid- 
thawing of snow. But in places where the grade is light or the ground 
level, the roads when once made need but little attention to keep them 
in reasonably good condition. This would be the fact on all the roads 
along the river banks, except in places — and they are numerous — where 
the interval lands are but little elevated above the river in high water, 
exposing them to the gradual encroachment of the river which tends 
to crowd toward one side or the other of the valley, often washing 
away several feet in times of great freshets, and often overflowing the 
roadbed and washing out the material of which it is made, so that 
between this kind of damage and the maintaining of bridges, the river 
roads — so called — are far more expensive than those upon the higher 
lands. In March, 1774, the town voted to raise eighty pounds for the 
repair of highways, twelve shillings on the poll and the remainder on 
the estates, and voted to allow three shillings per day for work on the 
highway. At this meeting the town voted to build a " highway from 
William Henry's down to the dugway at David Scott's land," and at 
the same time it was voted not to discontinue the "old road from 
Lieut. James Clark's house down Moose Hill to dugway in David 
Scott's land." From a point near the old cellar-place which marks 
the spot where Absolom Blair's house stood, is an old road leading ofE 
from the older road in the direction of the house formerly known as 
the "Raymond place," but better known to-day as the "Woodruff 
place." This road would have let both Clark and Blair out into the 
new road from "Henry's down to the dugway," but it would have 
been less convenient for them. Many neAV roads were laid out from 
time to time as necessity rcjuired, and their locations were fully de- 
scribed in the records of the town. In 1777 ninety pounds were raised 
for repair of highways that year, and at the same meeting the town 
voted that " the selectmen lay out a road, if they judge best, with the 
consent of Deac. Johnson and the Wrights that own the land, across 
from Deac. Johnson's, kitter-cornering across Wright's land into the 
old road near the corner of said Wright's lot, or across the corner of 
Major Taylor's." At the March meeting in 1778 the town appropri- 
ated one hundred pounds for the repair of highways, and voted to pay 
nine shillings per day until the last of June for work on the highways." 
There was pressing need for bridges. An article " To see if the town 
will assist Norwich in building a bridge across the river near Mr. 
Way's mill" — that is to say, near where Norwich bridge now stands — 



98 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

was inserte^d in the warrant for the November meeting in 1778, hut 
the town voted no. But when the proposition took the form of ask- 
ing the General Court to require the original proprietors to build the 
bridge, the town, at a meeting held February 8th, 1779, voted " to 
bear its proportional cost with Norwich to procure the building of a 
bridge near Way's mill." The joint action of the town of Norwich 
and Murrayfield resulted, as has been related before, in the building 
of the bridge at the expense of the proprietors, and in the sale of lands 
belonging to Timothy Paine to pay the expense. 

In March, 1779, the town voted to lay a road ''from Landlord Tay- 
lor's for Partridgefield " — now Middlefield. Five dollars was allowed 
this year per day for work on the highways, and the town voted "to 
raise four hundred pounds for the repair of highways the present year," 

It sometimes happens that heavy rains come in the latter part of 
summer, causing freshets, which do great damage to the roads. That 
this happened in 1779 would appear from the fact that a town meeting 
was held August 18th, at which the town passed the following vote: 
" If any man will do a good, faithful day's work on the highways this 
summer or fall, it shall be allowed in the next year's highway rate." 
In May, 1781, the town voted lo raise sixty pounds in hard cash to re- 
pair highways, and that four shillings in hard cash should be paid for 
a day's work. In 1780 it was voted "to give twenty dollars per day 
for highway work." In April, 1782, the town voted to raise sixty 
pounds for the repair of highways, and to allow three shillings for a 
day's work. And in March, 1783, eighty pounds were appropriated 
to the repair of highways, and three shillings allowed for a day's work. 

Representatives to the General Court. 

When the east part of Murrayfield was setoff into a separate district, 
it was invested with all the privileges of other towns, with the excep- 
tion that it was not permitted to choose a separate representative to 
the General Court; but for that purpose it was still to act with Murray- 
field. In July, 1775, Murrayfield " voted to send one representative 
to the General Court." And it was also " voted that the representative 
be paid in work or grain for his own time and horses." Lieut. Enoch 
Shepard was the first representative chosen by the town of Murrayfield 
to the General Court. The town also " chose for a committee to give 
instructions to the representative, Deac. John Kirtland, Lieut. David 
Scott, Ensign Stephen Lyman, Deac. Samuel Matthews, and Capt. 
Abner Smith." One of the articles in the warrant for the December 
meeting was " To see if the town will reconsider the vote respecting 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 99 

paying the representative, and pass such votes as the town shall judge 
best respecting the same." The vote under this article, as recorded is: 
" Voted to reconsider the vote respecting paying the representative." 
It would seem that Shepard was continued in the office of representa- 
tive for several years; for in May, 1779, the town passed the following 
vote: " Voted that the town will be obliged to pay Capt. Enoch Shep- 
ard his expenses for his travel and attendance on the General Court, 
he giving his time and allowing the town his fees." In May, 1780, 
Timothy Lyman was chosen representative to the General Court, and 
Capt. John Kelso, Capt. Enoch Shepard, Deac. James Hamilton, 
Alexander Gordon, and Timothy Smith were chosen a committee "to 
instruct the representative and order him when to go to Boston." 
In May, 1782, Deac. Johnson was chosen representative, and the town 
passed the following vote: '*■ Voted to choose a committee of five to 
give Deac. Johnson instructions how to conduct at Boston with regard 
to the business of the town and when to go, and not to tarry upon 
other public business. Chose Dr. David Shepard, Capt. Enoch 
Shepard, Deac. Matthews, and Capt. Abner Smith committee." 

Relations with Norwich. 

At the March meeting in 1774, the claim of Norwich to its share of 
the seals and measures came up for action; the justice of which was 
conceded, and the constable instructed to procure such other meas- 
ures as should be necessary. 

The following petition to the selectmen was duly brought before the 
town at a meeting held July 5th, 1779: 

" To the Honorable Selectmen of the town of Murrayfield, namely, Timothy 
Lyman & John Blair: We, who are undernamed, do humbly desire you would 
warn a town meeting in order to set us off from the town of Murrayfield to the 
town of Norwich, that we may know the minds of the town & have their vote 
for being set off. Our grievances are so heavy that we can not lie still under 
them; which grievances we shall declare to the meeting when the meeting is, 
we looking to ourselves to be the humble servants at so far a distance that we 
can not enjoy the privileges of the town which causes us to make this address 
to select gentlemen of the town; & in hopes of your granting our weak 
request we take the boldness, with love & pleasure to subscribe ourselves 
your well-meaning, though aggrieved friends & very humble servants so long 
as we are. Dated at Murrayfield, May 13tb, 1779. 

Abel Partridge, 
Allyn Green, 
Ebenkzer Freeman, 
Eunice Geer, 
John Morse, 
Emanuel Northrop, 
Joseph Northrop, 
David Twadwell." 



100 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

The article in the warrant was as follows: " To s,ee if the town will 
vote off the east part of this town to Norwich about as far as the house 
where Silsbury Geer formerly lived." But the town rejected the prop- 
osition. This, however, did not settle the question, as we see by the 
action of the town in May, 1780, in choosing Dr. David Shepard, Mr. 
Timothy Lyman and Mr. Timothy Smith, ''a committee to meet the 
court's committee appointed to straighten the line between Murray- 
field and Norwich," and the committee was instructed to "object 
against Norwich having a straight line." This subject came before 
the town again at a meeting held December 25th, 1780. That the in- 
habitants of Murrayfield Avere a good deal excited about the question 
may fairly be inferred from the following votes: "Voted to choose a 
committee of five to wait on the court's committee appointed to view 
the situation and circumstances of straightening the line between the 
towns of Murrayfield and Norwich, and chose Dr. David Shepard, Mr. 
Timothy Smith, Mr. Timothy Lyman, Capt. Abner Smith, Ensign 
Stephen Lyman. Also voted that the committee use their utmost in- 
fluence to hinder the town of Norwich from obtaining one inch more 
than the line already fixed." Also voted "that if the court's com- 
mittee should think best to straighten the line between Murrayfield 
and Norwich that the town will petition the General Court to incor- 
porate both towns together." 

At a town meeting held in Januar}^, 1781, the town voted "that 
Timothy Lyman shall take a plan of the town and go to Major Tay- 
lor's on account of the land that Norwich has taken off of this towntc 
straighten the line." 

On the 8th of May, 1781, the General Court passed the following: 

" An act to set off a part of the town of Murrayfield & annex it to the town oJ 
Norwich. 

"Whereas, It appears that Abel Partridge and others, living in the easterlj 
part of Murrayfield, would be greatly accommodated by being set off fron: 
said town of Murrayfield & annexed to the town of Norwich. 

§ 1. Be it, therefore, enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
in General Court assembled, & by the authority of the same, that all thai 
part of the town of Murrayfield that lies easterly of a direct line from the 
south west corner of Ingersole Grant, so called, to the south west corner ol 
Chesterfield, with the inhabitants thereon, shall forever hereafter be consid 
ered as belonging to the town of Norwich. 

§ 2. Provided nevertheless, that the said inhabitants shall pay their proper 
tionable part of all the taxes, & of men to be raised for the Continental army, 
which are already ordered by the General Court on said town of Murrayfield, 
anything in this act to the contrary notwithstanding. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAY FIELD. 101 

§ 3, Provided also, & be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that 
the amount of the estate contained on & in said tract of land, & the polls 
thereon returned by the assessors of the town of Murrayfield, be deducted 
from the return made by the assessors of the town of Norwich." 

MiDDLEFIELl). 

The inhabitants of the northwest part of the town thought they 
would be better off if annexed to the town of Middlefield, and signified 
their wish by a petition as follows: 

"Murrayfield, February 18th, 1779. "Whereas we, the inhabitants of the 
north west part of the town of Murrayfield being convened together with the 
inhabitants of the north east part of Becket & south west part of Worthing- 
ton unanimously think it best to be set off as a town; wherefore we request 
& desire to be set off from this town & adjoin those forementioned inhabitants; 
our living so remote from the Middle of the town makes it very tedious attend- 
ing any town business, especially the preaching of the Gospel; therefore we, 
whose names are underwritten, do humbly petition to this town to set us off 
near as far as Thomas Elder's. 

" To the select men of Murrayfield: The above writing to be put into the 
warrant for the March meeting or immediately to call a meeting on the same 
account. Samuel Jones, 

John Taylor, 
John Thompson, 
John Jones, 
Benjamin Eggleston, 
BiGOTT Eggleston, 
Lebanon Isham." 

It was put into the warrant for the Marcli meeting, but the town 
refused to grant the request of the petitioners. But the petitioners 
went to the General Court and obtained their desire. 

Valuation Lists. 

The aggregate vahiation of the town in 1775 was sixteen hundred 
and five jjounds and six shillings. 

In 1776, Capt. Abner Smith was rated at one hundred and nineteen 
pounds and fifteen shillings; Joel Seward was rated at seventy-one 
pounds and four shillings; Capt. Enoch Shepard was rated at sixty- 
six pounds and four shillings; James Clark was rated at sixty-four 
pounds; Thaddeus Newton was rated at sixty-three pounds and six- 
teen shillings, and Malcom Henry was rated at sixty-eight pounds and 
fourteen shillings. Abner Smith was for several years the richest man 
in town. 



102 A HIS TOR Y OF MUR R A Y FIELD. 

In 1777 the aggregate valuation of the town was thirty-eight thou- 
sand eight liundred and nineteen pounds and sixteen shillings. The 
same year Abner Smith was rated at twelve hundred and seventy-three 
pounds. This same year the Eev. Mr. Bascom's name appeared for 
the first time on the valuation list, and he was rated at one hundred 
and ninety pounds; but no poll tax was assessed to him. The rating 
of non-resident tax-payers iu 1777 was as follows: 



Abijah Willard, 


Bated at 


£3000 


John Murray, 


(1 


4000 


John Chandler, 


" 


5600 


Timothy Paine, 


(( 


4400 


James Otis, 




516 


Col. James Otis, 


u 


400 


Col. Samuel Ward, 


" 


1400 


Brig. Joseph Oti.s, 


i( 


487 


Capt. Beaumont, 


(1 


118 



In May, 1780, the town's valuation had shrunk to four thousand 
nine hundred and fifteen pounds, and Abner Smith's rating was one 
hundred and thirty-nine pounds, he being the only resident tax-payer 
who was rated as high as one hundred pounds. In October the aggre- 
gate valuation of the town was four thousand seven hundred and 
thirty-eight pounds, and Abner Smith's rating was one hundred and 
thirty-seven pounds. 

In Tuly, 1781, the aggregate valuation of the town was four thou- 
sand nine hundred and twenty-four pounds; and in November it was 
three thousand and six pounds; at which time Abner Smith, still the 
richest man in town, was rated at only thirty-one pounds and six shil- 
lings. But this same year the valuation of Timothy Paine, non-resi- 
dent, was twelve hundred pounds. The valuation list showed that the 
property of the other non-resident tax-payers did not shrink propor- 
tionately with that of resident tax-payers. 

The last valuation list taken by the assessors of the town under the 
name of Murrayfield, was dated November 15, 1782, a copy of which 
is o-iven: 





Poll. 


Real. 


Personal. 


Total. 






£. s. d. 


£. s. d. 


£. s. d. 


Joseph Abbott, 


1 


4 9 


13 8 


18 5 


Abiai Abbott, 


1 


15 


1 13 5 


2 8 5 


John Abbott, 


1 


2 5 


2 13 11 


4 18 11 


Ebenezer Abbott, 


1 


11 


7 


18 


David Allen, 





6 





6 


William Bell, 


2 


2 18 


2 7 5 


5 5 5 


Aaron Bell, 


1 


16 5 


1 14 10 


3 13 


Samuel Bel), 


1 


1 8 7 


1 10 5 


2 19 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 



103 





Poll 




Rea 


I. 


Personal. 




Total. 










£. s. 


d. 


£. s. 


d. 




£ 


s. 


d. 




John Bell, 


1 




2 6 


5 


1 19 


5 




4 


5 


10 




Ebenezer Babcock, 


2 




1 13 




1 13 


3 




3 


6 


5 




Daniel Babcock, 






4 





3 


7 







7 


1 




Kodolphus Babcock, 































James Campbell, 






1 4 


11 


1 4 


5 




2 


9 


4 




Matthew Campbell, 






12 


11 


1 7 


1 




2 










Lieut. Wm. Campbell, 






1 10 


6 


1 10 


6 




3 


1 







Kobert Campbell, 












8 










8 







William Grossman, 






1 4 





10 


6 




1 


14 


6 




Samuel Kellogg, 






12 
















12 







Ebenezer Collins, 






11 


6 













11 


6 




Edward Crafts, 






2 8 













2 


8 







Eobert Crawford, 






16 





8 


10 




1 


4 


10 




Ebenezer Dowd, 






4 





5 


9 







9 


9 




Joshua Draper, 






14 


3 


9 


4 




1 


3 


7 




Samuel Eider, 






1 10 





1 10 







3 










Thomas Elder, 






1 1 


9 


1 5 


8 




2 


7 


5 




John Elder, 






1 10 


2 


1 6 


9 




2 


16 


11 




William Elder, 






1 10 





1 16 


1 




3 


6 


1 




Benjamin Eggleston, 






1 11 


1 


1 14 


6 




3 


5 


7 




Abraham Fleming, 






3 5 


11 


2 15 







6 





11 




William Foot, 






1 12 


4 


1 9 







3 


1 


4 




Jacob Fowle, 






17 


1 


9 







1 


6 


1 




Thomas Flint, 






8 


8 













8 


8 




Alexander Gordon, 






2 16 


8 


2 7 


7 




5 


4 


3 




David Gleason, 






3 2 


11 


1 13 


2 




4 


16 


1 




Capt. Grout, 












10 


6 







10 


6 




James Hamilton, 






2 5 





2 13 


3 




4 


18 


3 




James Mulhollon, 






2 11 


2 


1 13 







4 


4 


2 




Simeon E. Mulhollon, 












13 


2 







19 


2 




William Hill, 






9 


5 


2 


5 







11 


10 




Zebuion Isham, 






12 


6 


14 


1 




1 


6 


7 




Jesse Johnson, 






1 2 


2 


2 4 


9 




3 


6 


11 




Samuel Jones, 






2 1 


2 


1 8 


9 




3 


9 


11 




John Jones, 






1 16 


4 


19 


2 




2 


15 


6 




Stephen Lyman, 






4 12 


5 


3 4 







7 


16 


5 




Timothy Lyman, 






4 1 





3 10 


15 






11 


5 




John Laccore, 






4 


9 


2 


5 







/ 


2 




John Laccore, Jr., 






12 


2 


15 


11 




1 


8 


1 






Poll. 




Real. 


Personal. 


Faculty. 




rotal. 






£. 


8. d. 


£. 


s. d. 


£. 


s. 


d. 


£ 


s. 


d. 


William Moore, 


1 


2 


18 7 


2 


6 8 











5 


5 


3 


John Moore, 





1 


7 1 


1 


1 











2 


8 


1 


James Moore, 


1 


1 


1 3 





18 7 











1 


19 


10 


Widow Jane Mann, 


1 





19 6 


1 


4 2 











2 


3 


8 


Samuel Matthews, 


1 


1 


1 4 


1 


3 7 











2 


4 


11 


Gideon Matthews, 


2 


2 


8 


2 


2 6 











4 


3 


2 


Ebenezer Prior, 





1 








7 2 











1 


i 


2 


William Prior, 


1 
































David Mathar, 


1 
































John Mclntire, 


2 


3 


2 9 


2 


6 4 











5 


9 


1 


Amasa Pomeroy, 


1 





13 1 





8 











1 


1 


1 


John N. Parmenter, 


1 


1 


7 4 


1 


10 











2 


17 


4 



104 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 





Poll. 


Real. 


Personal. 


Faculty. 


Tota; 


1. 






£. s. 


d. 


£. s. 


d. 


£. 


s. 


d. 


£. s. 


d. 


Solomon Eoot, 


1 


1 4 


9 


2 3 


11 











3 8 


8 


Abner Smith, 


2 


8 





5 9 


11 











13 9 


11 


Abner Smith, Jr., 


1 


4 3 


6 


4 7 


7 











8 11 


1 


Timothy Smith, 


1 


2 10 





1 8 


4 











3 18 


4 


Thomas Smith, 


1 


1 


7 


14 


9 











1 15 


4 


Joab Smith, 


1 


3 4 


8 


1 4 


4 











4 9 





Daniel Smith, 





12 


1 


7 


3 











19 


4 


Enoch Shepard, 


2 


4 14 


1 


1 12 


4 











6 6 


5 


David Shepard, 


1 


2 17 


6 


2 14 


1 





16 





6 7 


7 


Widow Thompson, 


1 


1 


10 


15 


10 











1 16 


8 


Ebenezer Tillotson, 





6 




















6 





Edward Wright, 


1 


4 3 


2 


3 9 


6 











7 12 


8 


Edward Wright, Jr., 


1 


2 1 


11 


1 13 


7 





19 


2 


4 14 


8 


Bazalel Wright, 


1 


3 





8 


7 





4 





15 


7 


Jude Wright, 


1 








12 














12 





Jesse Wright, 


1 





























Elijah White, 


1 


9 





3 


7 











12 


7 


Jolin Williams, 


1 





























Widow Ann Williams, 





13 


7 

















13 


7 


John Ward, 





1 12 


4 


6 


5 











1 18 


1 


Ebenezer Webber, 





1 4 




















1 4 





Zadreus Farnsworth, 


1 


1 




















1 





James Nooney, 


1 


1 3 





14 


4 











1 17 


4 


John Taylor. 











12 


2 











12 


2 


Ephraim Shelden, 


1 


1 11 


7 


5 














1 16 


7 


Zadock Ingall, 





18 


4 


5 


3 











1 3 


7 


Daniel Stone, 





4 


3 


1 


3 











5 


6 


Elijah Stanton, 





1 




















1 





Thomas Armes, 


1 


1 





3 


7 











1 3 


7 


William Rhoade?, 


1 


1 





6 














1 6 





Isaac Rhoades, 


1 








4 














4 





Noadiah Seward, . 


2 


1 4 


4 


1 3 


9 











2 8 


1 


Widow Smith, 


1 


1 





11 


5 











1 11 


5 


Samuel Morse, 





1 8 




















1 8 





Lieut. Mclntire (wild land) 


, 


1 1 


4 

















1 1 


4 


John Hamilton, 


1 





























Ebenezer Smith, 


1 








1 1 


7 











1 1 


7 


Widow Sarah Anderson, 





1 5 





19 














3 4 





James Black, 


1 


1 7 


10 


2 9 


1 





4 





4 


11 


William Russell, 


1 





























John Blair, 


1 


12 





1 7 














1 19 





Abial Baldwin, 





1 




















1 





Isaac Bissell, 


t 








1 15 


2 











1 15 


2 


Jonathan Miller, 


1 


10 





10 














1 





James Clark, 


2 


2 15 


4 


2 7 


9 











5 3 


9 


John Crow, 


1 





























Benjamin Converse, 


2 


3 14 


9 


1 13 


7 











5 8 


4 


James Cores, 


1 


16 





11 


4 











1 7 


4 


Eliakim Cooley, 





10 





1 


4 











1 10 


4 


John Clark, 


1 








12 


4 











12 


4 


Isaac Dowd, 


1 


12 





14 


1 











1 6 


1 


Samuel Ellis, 


2 


1 2 


1 


1 6 














2 8 


1 


Silas Freeman, 


2 


10 





10 


2 











1 


2 


James Gilmore, 





1 10 




















1 10 






A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 



105 



Poll. 




Real. 


Persona' 




Faculty. 


rotal. 






£ 


s. d. 


£. 


s. d. 




£. 


s. 


d. £ 


s. 


d. 


Andrew Henry, 







16 


1 


12 




o" 





2 


8 





Joseph Henry, 




2 


11 10 


1 


13 4 










4 


5 


2 


John Kelso, 




4 


14 


8 


6 







3 


8 


8 





Hugh Kelso, 

































Noah Kingsbury, 







5 





4 9 













9 


9 


Robert Moore, 







15 4 





7 9 










1 


8 


1 


Samuel Moore, 




3 


18 


3 


9 5 










7 


7 


5 


Thaddeus Newton, 




1 





1 


5 8 










2 


5 


8 


Joseph Northrop, 







4 





3 7 













7 


7 


Ebenezer Freeman, 







9 10 





9 6 













19 


4 


Gershom Rust, 




1 


6 8 





16 










2 


2 


4 


Ebenezer Stowe, 




2 


14 


1 


19 5 










4 


13 


5 


John Smith, 




1 








14 6 










1 


14 


6 


William Smith, 













8 9 













8 


9 


David Scott, 








19 2 



















19 


2 


I 


'oil. 




Real. 


Pel 


•sonal. 




Total. 










£. s. 


d. 


£. 


s. 


d. 




£. s. 


d. 




Joel Seward, 


1 




7 





8 


19 


7 




10 19 


7 




Daniel Twadwell, 







13 
















13 







Jabez Tracey, 


1 




4 8 





2 


2 







6 10 







John Smith, 2d, 


1 





























Reuben Wool worth, 


2 




2 15 





1 


19 







4 14 







Eli Woolworth, 


1 










1 










1 







Jonathan Webber, 


1 




2 9 


4 


2 


2 


1 




4 11 


3 




Jonathan Wait, 


1 




19 


7 





19 


11 




1 19 


6 




Joseph Stebbins, 







1 
















1 







Joseph Stebbins, Jr., 







16 
















16 







Daniel Smith, Jr., 


1 




2 5 


9 


1 


12 


9 




3 18 


6 




Richard Falley, 
























U 







Samuel French, 


2 




16 


11 


1 










1 16 


11 




Gershom Flagg, 


1 




6 








3 


9 




9 


9 




David Hedges, 







10 
















10 







Capt. Alexander, 


1 




6 





1 


12 







1 18 







Ebenezer Meacham, 







6 
















6 







Joseph Pomeroy, 







12 
















12 







Robert Smith, 


2 




1 12 


;! 


2 


4 







3 16 


3 




Oliver Hitchcock, 







1 10 
















1 10 







Robert Proctor, 


2 




1 14 





1 





9 




2 14 


9 




John Bolton, 







1 


7 













1 


7 




William Stone, 


1 




1 9 





1 


5 


4 




2 14 


4 




John Carlisle, 


1 




10 








8 


1' 




8 


1 




Solomon Cooley, 


1 







•0 





3 


10 




3 


10 




Job Clark, 







1 
















1 







Sylvester Sanderson, 







10 
















10 







William Hunt, 







10 
















10 







Zophar Searle, 







2 
















2 







John Griswold, 







10 
















10 







Timothy Culver, 







1 13 
















1 13 







Bildad Fowler, 







1 
















1 







Lieut. Simeon Fobes, 







1 9 


3 





3 







1 12 


8 




George Cooley, 







10 
















10 







Sylvester Judd, 







1 
















1 








106 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 





Poll. 


Real 




Faculty. 


Tota: 


1. 






£. s. 


d. 


£. 


s. 


d. 


£. s. 


d. 


Davenport Williams, 


1 


3 








3 





6 





Ward & Willard, heirs. 


, 


8 6 


5 











8 6 


5 


Samuel Ward, 





5 5 














5 5 





Joshua Brocket, 





4 1 














4 1 





James Otis, 





4 4 





I) 








4 4 





Samuel Chandler, 





3 12 






Per 




•sou 



lal. 


3 12 





William Sizer, 





3 11 


7 











3 11 


7 


Elijah Blackman, 





3 11 


7 











3 11 


7 


Abner Witt, 


1 


16 














16 





Ebenezer Stowe, 





1 














1 





Capt. Black, undiv'd Ian 


dsO 


10 


2 











10 


2 


Richard Falley & ) 
Wood & Company, \ 





4 10 














4 10 





Timothy Paine, Esq., 





12 














12 






Accessions to the Valuation List, 

The valuation list taken in September, 1774, showed the following 
new names among the resident tax-payers: Aaron Bell, Russell Dewey, 
Asa Gould, William Brown, John Jones, William Lunnou, Samuel 
Moore, James Moore, Abel Partridge, Larkin Williams, George Will- 
iams, and Rodman Williams. Between September, 1774, and Sep- 
tember, 1777, the following named persons became citizens of the 
town of Murrayfield: Samuel Bell, Benjamin Babcock, Daniel Stone, 
John N. Parmenter, Calvin Terry, Joshua Draper, Nathan White, 
William Foot, Samuel French, Allyn Geer, Samuel Gould, William 
Mclntire, Ebenezer Stowe, John Morse, James Bentley, Samuel Con- 
verse, Matthew Campbell, and Moses Orcutt. The list of 1778 showed 
the following new resident tax-payers: Aaron Crawford, Thomas 
Judd, Jethro Kenney, Thomas Kenney, Silas Freeman, Noah Kings- 
bury, Manuel Northrop, Robert Campbell, Moses Hale, Zebulon Isham, 
Joseph Wilter, Abraham Bell, and Elijah White. 

The new resident tax-payers upon the list of 1779 were, Henry Lam- 
berton, John Carlisle, and Jacob Fowle. The valuation list taken 
November, 1781, shows new names of resident tax-payers, as follows: 
Ebenezer Abbott, John Bell, Daniel Babcock, Job Belknap, Samuel 
Baldwin, Job Clark, Calvin Dunham, Maj. Edward Crafts, Othiel 
Pratt, Joab Smith, Simeon E. Mulhollon, Thomas Flint, Joseph 
Pomeroy, Capt. Nathaniel Alexander, Eli Woolworth, John Smith, 
3d, Jabez Tracy, and Gershom Flagg. 

Difficulty of Collecting Taxes During the Revolutionary War. 

At a town meeting called and held at six o'clock in the afternoon of 
June 25, 1776, the town passed the following vote: "Voted that 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 107 

those persons that do not pay their rates to Mr. Wool worth and Capt. 
Smith by next Monday shall pay interest till they do pay them." And 
the selectmen were appointed " a committee to take security of those 
which do not pay their rates by the time appointed. Also voted that 
those that will not comply with these votes shall be obliged to pay 
their rates as soon as \\\q constables can collect them in the usual 
manner, unless the committees of the neighboring towns do advise 
otherwise; that this committee shall examine the treasurer and con- 
stables and see if they have not got some money in their hands; and 
if they have the town money, that they shall pay interest for it from 
this time till paid. Also voted that the committee shall meet next 
Monday to do this business, and those tiiat do not come there, that 
have not paid their rates shall be viewed as persons that don't intend 
to comply with the votes of the town, unless they can give this com- 
mittee satisfaction for their not coming. Also voted that this commit- 
tee shall examine the list of those that have not paid their rates, and 
if they find that there is any that in their judgment ought not to pay 
their interest, to make report of that and all their other proceedings at 
the next town meeting.'' 

At the November meeting, 1778, the town voted " that the assessors, 
in making the rates, where a man's rate in the pence column is above 
six pence to set it down one shilling, and where it is under six pence 
to set it down naught." 

Town Fined for not Filling Its Quota of Men for the War. 

At a meeting held in May, 1779, one article in the warrant was: 
" To see what the town will do concerning the fine that is laid on 
us for want of three continental men." The town voted " not to have 
the assessors assess the fine at present," and also "'voted to choose a 
committee of three to get things ready to get the fine ofP." The com- 
mittee were Dr. David Shepard, Capt. Enoch Shepard, and Lieut. 
John Newton Parmenter. The town also voted " to give Mr. Stowe 
(who was constable) his part of the fine if the town is obliged to assess 
it.'' Touching this fine the town sent to the General Court a memorial 
as follows: 

" To the Honorable Council & House of Representatives of the State of 
Massachusetts Bay, now sitting at Boston: We, your humble petitioners, beg 
leave to represent to your Honors the true state of affairs relative to the town 
of Murrayfield's raising their quota of men in the present war, & their will" 
ingness always to obey all orders & resolves of the General Court of this State 



108 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

& the Honorable Continental Congress. Pursuant to which in the year 1777 
the Honorable General Court of this Sute resolved that every town in this 
State should raise for the Coutinental service every seventh man; which in 
this town amounted to fourteen msn. Accordingly the town by a large hire 
immediately procured the men; some for three years & some engaged during 
the war; soon after which, upon the Continental Army's not being filled up, 
there came a resolve from the Honorable Continental Congress that if any two 
men would hire a man for the Coatinental service more than their propor- 
tional part of every seventh man they should be freed from further draughts. 
Upon this encouragement from Congress that we should be favored in future 
draughts, a number of the inhabitants of this town, though unable to spare the 
money, joined together and hired five men more than our quota into the Conti- 
nental service, supposing they would answer for the town when called upon 
afterwards. Accordingly in the year 1778 this town was called upon by the Hon- 
orable General Court of this State for two men to go for eight months & three 
for nine months to join the Continental Army to have it completed. The 
town being called together to get the men agreeably to orders from the Gen- 
eral Court, they judged it no more than reasonable that we should have some 
allowance made us for those men that we had in the Continental service more 
than our proportion, & had given them a larger hire; therefore, relying on the 
justice of the cause of the town, thought it no more than honest & right not 
to draught any men for the nine months' service to join the Continental Army, 
but to make return of three of those men that we had already in the Conti- 
nental service more than our quota; not doubting but that the Honorable 
General Court would, as soon as they saw the return, allow the men to stand 
goad & answer for the town; though to our disappointment we find the town 
of Murrayfield fined three hundred pounds for the neglect of those three men 
which we viewed were in actual service for the town, & for no other, & are 
still in the service. Therefore your humble petitioners pray that the Honor- 
able Council & House of Representatives would take into their wise consider- 
ation the poverty of the town, the services we have done in the war more than 
our proportion, especially in the Continental service, as we have in a great 
measure exhausted ourselves of money to hire so many men into the service. 
Therefore we pray that your honors would take these things into your wise 
consideration, & be pleased to take off our fine as your Honors in your wisdom 
shall judge best, & as in duty bound your petitioners shall ever pray. 

Signed, by order of the Selectmen, in behalf of the town. 

David Shepabd, Town Clerk of Murrayfield. 

Murrayfield, April 13th, 1779." 

At a meeting held in October^ the town voted "to impower Capt. 
Enoch Shepard to borrow three hundred pounds to pay the fine laid 
on the town for want of three Continental soldiers." Also " that the 
three hundred pound fine or any part of which must be paid shall be 
assessed in the great State rate." 



A HISTORY OF IfURRAYFIELD. 



But when the facts were laid before the G-eneral Court and fully in- 
vestigated, Justice was done to the town, as appears by the following 
copy of the action of the General Court: 

" State of Massacbiusetts Bay. In the House of Representatives, No- 
vember 25th, 1779. On the petition of the inhabitants of the town of Murray- 
field praying for abatement of a fine laid on said town by the tax bill in 
February last, in being deficient in raising two men for nine months and one 
for eight months. And whereas it appears to this Court, that said town had 
two men inlisted for three years more than their quota of the seventh part of 
the inhabitants of said town, 

"Resolved, that the fine of three hundred pounds laid on said town be 
remitted. And that there be allowed & paid out of the treasury of this 
State to the town of Murrayfleld, the aforesaid sum of three hundred pounds 
for the fines above mentioned." 

A meeting was called to be held October 1st, 1782, ''To sec what 
measures the town will take with regard to the uneasiness of the non- 
resident proprietors about the taxes laid upon them last year." 

The proprietors claimed that their lands were "taxed in a greater 
proportion than any other new town in the neighborhood of Murray- 
field." Bat the town Avas inexorable, and voted "to have the rates 
that are set to the absentees settled as the selectmen and agents agreed, 
and that the selectmen be a committee to see this done." The assess- 
ment to the non-residents stood as follows: 







£. s. d. 


Bildad Fowler, 


100 acres of laud; tax 2 10 


Job Clark, 


100 " 


2 10 


Silvanus Sanderson, 


50 " 


1 5 


William Hunt, 


50 " 


15 


Brigdr. Warham Parks 


777 " 


17 10 


Capt. Ward, 


1230 " 


27 10 


Willard's Heirs, 


680 " 


15 10 


Samuel Chandler, 


600 " 


13 10 


Israel Bissel, 


260 " 


7 


Luther Loomis, 


260 " 


7 


Abel Baldwin, 


100 " 


2 10 


Timothy Paine, Esq., 


1200 " 


25 


Allen Otis, 


400 " 


10 U 



CHAPTER SIXTH. 
The Revolutionary War. 

The General Court of the Province of Massachusetts Bay had for 
some time been held at Cambridge. In 1772 by order of the governor 
it was adjourned to meet at Boston. The House, learning that the 
governor had accepted a salary from the King, voted 85 to 19 that 
" the making provision for the support of the governor of the prov- 
ince, independent of the acts and grants of the General Assembly, is 
an infraction upon the rights granted to the inhabitants by the royal 
charter, and in derogation of the constitution." And the court refussd 
to repair the Province House occupied by the governor as his residence. 

In a letter to Hillsborough, the governor recommended that severe 
measures be taken to put down '''this new doctrine of independence." 
It was soon after announced that the King, " with the entire concurrence 
of Lord North, had made provision for the support of his law servants 
in the Massachusetts Bay." This excited the inhabitants of Boston to 
call a town meeting. John Hancock was chosen moderator ; and an 
address to the governor was prepared requesting information as to the 
trutli of the report that ''stipends had been fixed to the offices of the 
judges." The governor refused this request. A new petition was 
immediately drafted and sent to him with a request that the subject 
be referred to the General Court. This request he also refused, and in 
response said : " If, in compliance with your petition, I should alter 
my determination, and meet the Assembly, contrary to my own judg- 
ment, at such time as you judge necessary, I should, in effect, yield 
to you the exercise of that part of my prerogative, and should be unable 
to justify, my conduct to the King. There would, moreover, be danger 
of encouraging the inhabitants of the other towns in the province to 
assemble from time to time in order to consider the necessity or ex- 
pediency of a session of the General Assembly, or to debate and trans- 
act other matters which the law that authorizes towns to assemble does 
not make the business of town meetings." 

"This reply," says Barry, "which invaded the rights of the little 
republics of New England, was communicated to the meeting, and 
read several times ; after which it was unanimously voted that the 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. Ill 

inhabitants of Boston ' have ever had, and ought to have, a right to 
petition the King for the redress of such grievances as they feel, or 
for the prevention of such as they have reason to apprehend, and to 
communicate their sentiments to other towns.' Then followed the 
step 'which included the whole revolution,' and Samuel Adams, the 
master spirit of the times, who had matured his plans by consulting 
the oldest men in the province, moved 'that a committee of corre- 
spondence be appointed, to consist of twenty-one persons, to state the 
rights of the colonists, and of this province in particular, as men and 
christians, and as subjects ; and to communicate and publish the same 
to the several towns and to the world, as the sense of this town, with 
the infringements and violations thereof that have been or from time 
to time may be made.' This motion was carried without a division, 
the vote in favor being nearly unanimous." Otis was the chairman of 
this committee. Its first meeting was held the following day in the 
representatives' chamber, and "William Cooper was elected its clerk. 
The members of the committee pledged their honor "not to divulge 
any part of the conversation at any of the meetings to any person 
whatsoever, excepting what the committee itself should make known." 
This pledge was faithfully kept.* 

The General Court stood prorogued to the 12th of January, 1774, 
when the governor again prorogued it to the 26th. In his opening 
address he particularly alluded to " his majesty's disapprobation of the 
appointment of committees of correspondence." The House replied 
to this that " while the common rights of the American subjects con- 
tinued to be attacked at times when the general assemblies were not 
sitting, it was highly necessary that they should correspond with each 
other, in order to unite in the most elfectual means for the obtaining 
a redress of their grievances,'' and that ''as it had been the practice 
for years past for the governor and lieutenant governor of this prov- 
ince, and other officers of the crown, at all times, to correspond with 
the ministers of state and persons of distinction and influence in the 
nation, in order to concert and carry on such measures of the British 
administration as have been deemed by the colonists to be grievous to 
them, it cannot be thought unreasonable or improper for the colonists 
to correspond with their agents, as well as with each other, to the end 
that their grievances may be so explained to his majesty as that, in 
his justice, he may afford them necessary relief." 

While affairs were in this attitude in America there was hardly less 
activity in England, and in Parliament the policy toward the colonists 

* See Barry's Hist, of Mass., 2d period, pp. 445-449. 



112 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

was discussed with great spirit; but the councils of the wiser states- 
men were unheeded, and the colonists were threatened with coercion 
and further oppression. The insolence of British troops stationed in 
Boston, and the " Boston Massacre" maddened the colony still more; 
and added to this was the landing of additional British troops in Boston. 
In the meantime the colonists were not idle. Military discipline received 
due attention and encouragement; old guns were repaired; soldiers' 
accoutrements were anxiously provided for in anticipation of their 
probable need ; and the towns began to provide themselves with am- 
munition. Such was the attitude affairs had reached in 1774. On the 
25th of July in that year a town meeting was held in Murrayfield, the 
objects of which were " to see if the town would take into their serious 
consideration the covenant letters that the committee of correspond- 
ence have sent to us from Boston, and to sign the same, or pass any 
vote respecting the same, as the town shall judge best," and " to see 
what measures the town will come into with respect to getting or col- 
lecting the money that the General Assembly have desired us to collect 
in order for the support of the General Congress, and to pass any vote 
respecting the same, as the town shall think best." At this meeting 
the town voted unanimously not to "purchase, buy, or consume any 
goods or wares that shall be imported from Great Britain after the last 
of August next ensuing, until the meeting of the General Congress 
at Philadelphia." Also that ''we will comply with what measures the 
General Congress shall agree upon at their meeting in Philadelphia 
in September next." A vote was also passed "to choose a committee 
of correspondence to transmit these votes to the committee of corre- 
spondence at Boston, and to correspond with said committee for this 
year." And the town appropriated twelve shillings and fourpence 
toward the support of the Congress. 

The persons chosen to act on behalf of the town as a committee of 
correspondence for the ensuing year were, Capt, David Shepard, Deac. 
Jesse Johnson, Lieut. Malcom Henry, Deac. Samuel Matthews, and 
Lieut. James Clark. These persons all lived at or near the center of 
the town, excepting, perhaps, James Clark. 

In the spring of 1774, Governor Hutchinson was superceded by 
Thomas Gage, whose activity in setting on foot measures for bringing 
the colonists to submission is a part of the history of Massachusetts. 

" Writs were issued early in September convening the General Court 
at Salem on the fifth of October; but before that time arrived, a 
proclamation from the governor dissolved the assembly. For this 
step the patriots of the province were prepared ; and, pursuant to the 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELl). 113 

course which had been already agreed upon, after meeting on the ap- 
pointed day, they resolved themselves into a PROVisioisrAL Congress. 

The first session of this body, so memorable in our annals, was held 
at Salem on Friday, the seventh of October; the meeting was tempo- 
rarily organized by choosing John Hancock chairman and Benjamin 
Lincoln clerk, and was adjourned to the following-Tuesday, then to 
meet at the court house in Concord. Finding the court house too small 
for their purpose, however, the meeting-house was procured; the Con- 
gress was permanently organized by choosing John Hancock president 
and Benjamin Lincoln clerk; and provisions were made for opening 
the session each day with prayer. A committee on the state of the 
province was next appointed; and an address to his excellency the 
governor was reported, which was ordered to be printed in the Boston 
newspapers; the several constables and collectors throughout the prov- 
ince, having moneys in their hands payable to the order of Harrison 
Gray, Esq., were advised to retain the same, subject to the advice of a 
constitutional assembly; and the convention was adjourned to the 
town of Cambridge." {See Barry^s Hist, of Mass., Second Period, jJ- 
495.) The business of the Congress was transacted for several days 
with closed doors, and everything was done that could be to prepare 
for the crisis that was approaching. The several towns and districts 
in the province were advised to "see that each of the minute men not 
already provided therewith should be immediately equipped with an 
efficient fire arm, bayonet, pouch, knapsack, and thirty rounds of 
cartridge and balls, and be disciplined three times a week and oftener 
as opportunity may offer;" and that whenever there was oxiy deficiency 
in arms and accouterments, the selectmen supply the same "out of 
the town slock; and in case of a deficiency there, to apply to such in- 
habitants as can best spare their arms and accouterments, and to bor- 
row or purchase the same for the use of the inhabitants so enlisting." 

At a meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Murrayfield, held 
December 26th, 1774, "To see if the town will take into their serious 
consideration the resolves of the Continental and Provincial Congress 
and come into some measures in the town to see that the same be put 
in execution or kept, and pass such votes in the town respecting the 
same as the town shall judge best." Also, "to see if the town will 
adopt any measures in order that the town may be provided with a 
stock of ammunition, and to pass such votes respecting the same as 
the town shall think best and most prudent." The town voted that 
''Capt. Abner Smith, Mr. Timothy Smith, Lieut. James Clark, Lieut. 
Malcom Henry, Mr. Archelus Anderson, Ensign George AVilliams, 



114 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

Ensign Stephen Lyman, Mr. James Black, and Capt. David Shepard 
be a committee of inspection." And also voted that the town would 
stand by this committee in the execution of their office. 

It was the duty of constables, who were also collectors of taxes, to 
collect the province tax upon the towns, and to pay it directly into the 
provincial treasury. At this meeting the town passed the following 
vote: ''That the town will indemnify the constables if they will pay 
the province money they have in their hands into the town treasury 
to procure ammunition for a stock; and that the selectmen lay out 
said monies, when they get it, for a stock of ammunition." At its 
March meeting, 1775, the town voted that eight pounds be paid out of 
the treasury to provide a stock of powder and lead. Another meeting 
was held 24th April, 1775, and Malcom Henry was chosen a delegate 
to the Provincial Congress. 

Although the town records do not show how many men were sent 
to the army, it is certain that several men had been sent; for at a 
meeting held May 4th, the town voted that the selectmen provide a 
supply of blankets and clothing "for our men now alf Cambridge.'^ 

The Provincial Congress had addressed letters to the towns, urging 
the raising of troops and entreating them to " hasten and encourage 
by all possible means the enlistment of men to form an army." 

By a vote of the committee of safety the Provincial Congress reas- 
sembled, after they had adjourned to May, in the town of Concord, 
and adjourned from that place to Watertown, and immediately, about 
April 30th, entered upon measures " indispensable for the salvation of 
the country." 

The town of Murrayfield, at a meeting held June 19th, 1775, voted 
" that the committee shall attend to the orders of Congress respecting 
tory goods." 

. Eepresentatives to the General Court. 

A meeting was held July ilth, 1775, " To see if the town will choose 
one or more representatives to attend and represent the town of Mur- 
rayfield in a great and general court or assembly to be convened at the 
meeting house in Watertown upon Wednesday the nineteenth day of 
July inst." Ensign Stephen Lyman was moderator. Lieut. Enoch 
Shepard was chosen representative; and the committee to instruct the 
representative was composed of the following persons: John Kirtland, 
David Scott, Stephen Lyman, Samuel Matthews, and Abner Smith. 

The British troops evacuated Boston in March, 177G. In April the 



A HISTOR Y OF MURRA YFIEL D. 115 

General Court passed a resolve to alter the style of writs and other 
legal processes, substituting " The People and Government of Massa- 
chusetts" for George III, and in dating them using only "in the 
year of our Lord" instead of giving also the year of "his majesty's 
reign." In May the General Court passed an order advising the people 
in' the several towns to instruct their representatives on the subject of 
independence. 

Vote in Favor of a Declaeation of Independence. 

The selectmen of Murrayfield called a meeting to be held June 17th, 
1776, " To see if the inhabitants will sign an agreement or oath that 
the General Court have sent out to see who are 'friends to liberty and 
their country and who are not;" also " to see if the town as a body are 
willing to have the thirteen united colonies declared an independent 
State from Great Britain if the Continental and General Courts shall 
judge Ijest, and to pass any vote respecting the same as the town shall 
judge best and most prudent." The following votes were passed: 
" Voted to sign an agreement or oath sent out from the General 
Court;" also '" voted that it is the mind of this town that the Conti- 
nental Congress declare independence from Great Britain, to a man, 
in a full meeting." 

Money for Soldiers. 

September 19th, 1776, the town voted "to hire a sum of money for 
the use of the soldiers in their march to Horse Neck;" also " to hire a 
sum of money for the town to provide a drum and fife." A commit- 
tee of inspection was chosen consisting of the following persons: 
" Deac. Jesse Johnson, Lieut. Samuel Matthews, Mr. Joel Seaward, 
Lieut. James Clark, and Ensign Stephen Lyman." Another town 
meeting Avas held October 17th, at which, under the article, "To see 
if the town are willing that the present House of Eepresentatives, to- 
gether with the Council of this State, should form a charter and make 
laws for the present and future generations, and to pass such votes 
respecting the same as the town shall judge best," and also under the 
article " To see whether the town choose that the laws that are made 
by this House should be sent through the State to every town before 
they are ratified, for the perusal of the people," the town voted "yes." 

War Charges. 

During the year 1777 the records of the town do not show much 
activity on the part of the town touching the war; probably much was 



116 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

done that does not appear. At the November meeting tlie town voted 
" to do something toward bringing tlie charges of the war equally on 
the town,'" and chose a committee to accomplish it. The town also 
''voted that it will pay for all the Continental clothing that the town 
is required to get or provide for the soldiers at the rates clothing goes 
for now among us.^' . It was also voted " to allow Sergeant John Mc- 
Intire the interest of the money that he shall borrow in order to pay 
the province rates of those soldiers that are gone into the Continental 
Army from the time that he borrows it till he gets it back of them or 
somewhere else." The stirring events and excitements of the war did 
not come within the limits of Massachusetts in the form of battles, 
after the British trooj^s departed from Boston. But Massachusetts 
men were no small factor of the Continental army. The State of 
Massachusetts was represented at the posts of danger. She shirked 
no duty — the cause was her cause — her weal or woe hung in the same 
balance with the other States. 

So far as towns like Murrayfield were concerned, their duty lay in 
furnishing each its quota of men and sujjplies for the Continental 
army; and they were faithful to the demands of the hour. At the 
March meeting, 1778, Deac. Jesse Johnson, Lieut. James Clark, Lieut. 
William Campbell, Lieut. Larkin Williams, and Gideon Matthews 
were chosen as the committee of inspection and safety. The records 
of subsequent town meetings held this year show the action of the 
town touching the new constitution which the General Court, acting 
as a convention by the consent of the towns in the state, framed as a 
form of government and sent to the several towns in the state for their 
approval, February 28th, 1778. A copy of the Kesolve which the Gen- 
eral Court sent out to each town, with a copy of the proposed constitu- 
tion, will enable the reader to better understand the votes passed by 
the town of Murrayfield: 

** A Constitution & Form of Government for the State of Massachusetts Bay, 
agreed upon by the Convention of this State, February 2^th, 1778 — to be 
laid before the several towns and plantations in said State, for their 
approbation or disapprobation. 

State of Massachusetts Bay, 

In Convention, February 28, 1778. 

Whereas, Upon the Declaration of Independence, made by the Representa- 
tives of the United States, in Congress assembled, by which all connections 
between the said States & Great Britain were dissolved, the General Assembly 
of this State thought it expedient, that a new Constitution of Government for 
this State should be formed; &, apprehending that they were not invested 



A HISTORY OF 2IURRAYFIELD. 117 

with sufficient authority to deliberate and determine upon so interesting a 
subject, did, on the fifth day of May, 1777, for effecting this valuable purpose, 
pass the following resolve: 

'Resolved, That it be, & hereby is recommended to the several towns & 
places in this State, empowered by the laws thereof to send members to the 
General Assembly, that, at their next election of a member or members to rep- 
resent them, they make choice of men in whose integrity and ability they can 
place the greatest confidence; &, in addition to the common & ordinary pow- 
ers of representation, instruct them with full powers, in one body with the 
Council, to form such a Constitution of Government as they shall judge best 
calculated to promote the happiness of this State; &, when completed, to cause 
the same to be printed in all the Boston newspapers, and also in hand bills, 
one of which to be transmitted to the Selectmen of each town, or the commit- 
tee of each plantation, to be by them laid before their respective towns or 
plantations, at a regular meeting of the inhabitants thereof, to be called for 
that purpose, in order to its being, by each town & plantation, duly consid- 
ered, & a return of their approbation or disapprobation to be made into the 
Secretary's office of this State, at a reasonable time, to be fixed by the General 
Court; specifying the numbers present at such meeting voting for, & those 
voting against the same; &, if upon a fair examination of said returns by the 
General Court, or sach a committee as they shall appoint for the purpose, it 
shall appear, that the said Form of Government is approved by at least two 
thirds of those who are free, & twenty-one years of age, belonging to this State, 
& present in the several meetings, then the General Court shall be empowered to 
establish the same as the Constitution & Form of Government of the State of 
Massachusetts Bay; according to which the inhabitants thereof shall be gov- 
erned in all succeeding generations, unless the same shall be altered by their 
express direction, or at least of two-thirds of them. And it is further recom- 
mended to the Selectmen of the several towns, in the return of their precepts 
for the choice of Representatives, to signify their having considered this 
resolve, & their doings therein.' 

And whereas the good people of this State in pursuance of said resolution, 
& reposing special trust & confidence in the Council & in their Representatives, 
have appointed, authorized and instructed their Representatives, in one body 
with the Council, to form such a Constitution of Government as they shall 
judge best calculated to promote the happiness of this State, & when completed, 
to cause the same to be published for their inspection & consideration. 

We, therefore, the Council & Representatives of the People of the State of 
Massachusetts Bay, in convention assembled by virtue of the power delegated 
to us, & acknowledging our dependence upon the all wise Governor of the Uni- 
verse for direction, do agree upon the following Form of a Constitution of 
Government for this State, to be sent out to the People, that they may act 
thereon, agreeably to the aforesaid resolves." 

The Form of Constitution proposed and sent out with the aforesaid 
resolve, for the people to act tipon, was as follows: 



118 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

I. — There shall be convened, held & kept, a General Court, upon the last 
"Wednesday in the month of May of every year, & as many other times as the 
said General Court shall order & appoint. Which General Court shall consist 
of a Senate & House of Representatives, to be elected as this Constitution 
hereafter directs. 

II. — There shall be elected annually a Governor & Lieutenant Governor, 
who shall each have, by virtue of such election, a seat & voice in the Senate; & 
the style & title of the Governor shall be His Excellency; & the style & title of 
the Lieutenant Governor shall be His Honor. 

III. — No person shall be considered as qualified to serve as Governor, 
Lieutenant Governor, Senator, or Representative, unless qualified respectively 
at the time of their several elections, as follows, viz. : The Governor & Lieu- 
tenant Governor shall have been inhabitants of this State five years immedi- 
ately preceding the time of their respective election; the Governor shall be 
possessed, in his own right, of an estate of the value of one thousand pounds, 
whereof five hundred pounds value, at the least, shall be in real estate within 
this State; the Lieutenant Governor shall be possessed, in his own right, of an 
estate of the value of five hundred pounds, two hundred and fifty pounds 
thereof, at the least, to be in real estate, within this State; a Senator shall be 
possessed, in his own right, of an estate to the value of four hundred pounds, 
two hundred pounds thereof, at the least, to be in real estate, lying in the dis- 
trict for which he shall be elected. A Representative shall be possessed, in his 
own right, of an estate of the value of two hundred pounds, one hundred 
pounds thereof, at the least, to be in real estate lying in the town, for which he 
shall be elected. Senators & Representatives shall have been inhabitants of 
the districts & towns, for which they shall be respectively elected, one full year 
immediately preceding such election; provided, that when two or more towns 
join in the choice of a Representative, they may choose an inhabitant of either 
of said towns, being otherwise qualified as this article directs. 

ly. — The Judges of the Superior Court, Secretary, Treasurer General, Com- 
missary General, & settled Ministers of the Gospel, while in office; also all 
Military Officers, while in the pay of this or of the United States, shall be con- 
sidered as disqualified for holding a seat in the General Court; & the Judges 
& Registers of Probate, for holding a seat in the Senate. 

V. — Every male inhabitant of any town in this State, being free and twenty- 
one years of age, excepting negroes, Indians & mulattoes, shall be entitled to 
vote for a Representative or Representatives, as the case may be, in the town 
where he is resident; provided he has paid taxes in said town (unless by law 
excused from taxes) & been resident therein one full year, immediately pre- 
ceding such voting, or that such town has been his known & usual place of 
abode for that time, or that he is considered as an inhabitant thereof; & every 
such inhabitant qualified as above, & worth sixty pounds, clear of all charges 
thereon, shall be entitled to put in his vote for Governor, Lieutenant Gov- 
ernor, & Senators; and all such voting for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, 
Senators or Representatives, shall be by ballot, & not otherwise. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 119 

VI. — Every incorporated town within this State shall be entitled to send one 
Representative to the General Court; any town having three hundred voters 
may send two; having five hundred «& twenty voters may send three; having 
seven hundred & sixty may send four; & so on, making the increasing num- 
ber necessary for another member, twenty more than the last immediately 
preceding increasing number, till the whole number of voters in any town are 
reckoned. And each town shall pay the expense of its own Representative or 
Representatives; & the inhabitants of any two or more towns, who do not in- 
cline to send a Representative for each town, may join in the choice of one, if 
they shall so agree. 

VII. — The Selectmen of each town shall, some time in the month of April, 
annually, issue their warrant or warrants, under their hands and seals, directed 
to some constable or constables, within their towns respectively, requiring him 
or them to notify the inhabitants qualified to vote for a Representative, to as- 
semble in some convenient place in sijch town, for the choice of some person or 
persons, as the case may be, to represent them in the General Court the ensu- 
ing year; the time & place of meeting to be mentioned in the warrant or war- 
rants for calling such meeting. And the Selectmen of each town respectively, 
or the major part of them, shall make return of the name or names of the 
person or persons elected by the major part of the voters present, & voting in 
such meeting to represent said town in the General Court the ensuing year, 
into the Secretary's office, on or before the last Wednesday of May then next 
ensuing; & when two or more towns shall agree to join for such choice, the 
major part of the Selectmen of those towns shall, in the manner above directed, 
warn a meeting to be held in either of the said towns, as they shall judge most 
convenient for that purpose, & shall make return as aforesaid, of the person 
chosen at such meeting. 

VIII. — The number of Senators shall be twenty-eight; (Exclusive of the Gov- 
ernor & Lieutenant Governor) their election shall be annual, & from certain 
districts, into which the State shall be divided as follows, viz. : The middle 
district to contain the Counties of Suffolk, Essex, & Middlesex, within which 
ten Senators shall be elected; the southern district to contain the Counties of 
Plymouth, Barnstable, Bristol, Duke's County, & Nantucket, within which six 
Senators shall be elected; the western district to contain the Counties of 
Hampshire, Worcester, & Berkshire, within which eight Senators shall be 
elected ; the northern district to contain the Counties of York & Cumberland, 
within which three shall be elected; the eastern district to contain the County 
of Lincoln, within which one shall be elected. And as the number of inhab- 
itants in the several districts may vary, from time to time, the General Court 
shall, in the way they shall judge best, some time in the year one thousand 
seven hundred & ninety, & once in twenty years ever after, order the number 
of the inhabitants of the several districts to be taken, that the Senators may 
be apportioned anew to the several districts, according to the number of the 
inhabitants therein. And the General Court may, at such new apportionment, 
increase the number of Senators to be chosen as they may see fit ; provided 



120 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

that the whole number shall never exceed thirti/sLv, exclusive of the Governor 
& Lieutenant Governor. 

IX. — The inhabi^ants of the several towns in this State, qualified as this 
Constitution directs, shall, on the first Wednesday in the month of November, 
anoually, give in their votes in their respective towns, at a meeting, which the 
Selectmen shall call for that purpose, for Senators for the year ensuing the 
last Wednesday in May then next. The votes shall be given in for the mem- 
bers of each district separately, according to the foregoing apportionment, 
or such as shall be hereafter ordered ; & the Selectmen & town Clerk of each 
town shall sort & count the votes, &, by the third Wednesday in December 
then next, transmit to the Secretary's office a list, certified by the town Clerk, 
of all the persons, who had votes as Senators for each district at such meeting, 
& the number each person had affixed to his name. The list, so sent in shall 
be examined by the General Court at their next sitting, & a list for each dis- 
trict of those voted for, to the amount of double the number assigned to such 
district (if so many shall have votes) taking those who had the highest num- 
bers, shall be made out and sent by the fii*st of March, then next after, to the 
several towns of this State, as a nomination list, from which said towns shall, 
at their meeting for the choice of Governor in the month of May, vote for the 
Senators assigned the respective districts ; which votes shall be counted & 
sorted & lists certified as before directed, made out & sent in to the Secretary's 
office, by ten o'clock in the forenoon of the last Wednesday in said May, & 
not afterwards ; which lists shall be examined by the House of Representatives 
for the fl^rst time of the election of Senators, & ever afterwards by the Senate 
& House of Representatives on ^aid last Wednesday of May, or as soon after 
as may be ; and those persons in each district, equal to the number assigned 
such district, who have the greatest number of votes, shall be Senators for the 
ensuing year, unless it shall appear to the Senate that any member or mem- 
bers thereof were unduly elected or not legally qualified ; of which the Senate 
shall be the judges. And the Senate, when so constituted, shall continue in 
being till another Senate is chosen, & the members thereof gone through all 
the steps necessary to qualify them to enter on the business assigned them 
by this Constitution. 

X. — There shall forever hereafter, on the first Wednesday in the month of 
May annually, be held, in each town in this State, a meeting of the inhabi- 
tants of such towns respectively, to give or put in their votes for Governor, 
Lieutenant Governor, & Senators, which meeting the Selectmen shall cause to 
be notified in the manner before directed for the meeting for the choice of 
Representatives ; & the town Clerk shall return into the Secretary's office by 
ten o'clock in the morning of the last Wednesday of said May, & not after- 
wards, an attested copy of all the persons, who had votes for Governor & 
Lieutenant Governor respectively, certifying the number of votes each person 
so voted for had ; which list shall be, on said l^st Wednesday of May, or as 
soon after as may be, examined by the Senate & House of Representatives; 
& the persons, who, on such examination, shall appear to have the greatest 



A HISTORY OF MURRAY FIELD. 121 

number of votes for those offices respectively, provided it be a majority of the 
whole number, shall be by the two Houses declared Governor & Lieutenant 
Governor, & entitled to act as such the ensuing year ; & if no person shall 
have such majority for Governor & for Lieutenant Governor, the Senate & House 
of Repi'esentatives shall, as soon as may be, after examining said lists, pro- 
ceed by joint ballot to elect a Governor or Lieutenant Governor, or both, as the 
case may require, confining themselves to one of those three, who had the 
greatest number of votes collected in the several towns for the office to be filled. 

XI. — If any person chosen Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Senator, or Rep- 
resentative, whose qualification shall be questioned by any one member of the 
Senate or House of Representatives, within twenty- four days after his appear- 
ing to enter upon the execution of his office, shall not make oath before a 
Senator, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, or some Justice of the 
Peace, that he is qualified as required by this constitution, and lodge a certifi- 
cate thereof in the Secretary's office, within ten days after notice given him of 
such questioning by the Secretary, whose duty it shall be to give such notice, 
his election shall be void; & any. person claiming privilege of voting for Gov- 
ernor, Lieutenant Governor, Senators, or Representatives, &; whose qualification 
shall be questioned in town meeting, shall by the Selectmen be prevented from 
voting, unless he shall make oath that he is qualified as this Constitution re- 
quires ; said oath to be administered by a Justice of the Peace, or the town 
clerk, who is hereby empowered to administer the same, when no Justice 
is present. 

XII. — Whenever any person, who may be chosen a member of the Senate, 
shall decline the office, to which he is elected, or shall resign his place, or die, 
or remove out of the State, or be any way disqualified, the House of Repre- 
sentatives may, if they see fit, by ballot, fill up any vacancy occasioned thereby, 
confining themselves in the choice to the nomination list for the district, to 
which such member belongs, whose place is to be supplied, if a sufficient num- 
ber is thereon for the purpose ; otherwise the choice may be made at large in 
said district. 

XIII. — The General Court shall be the supreme legislative authority of this 
State, and shall accordingly have full power & authority to erect & constitute 
judicatories and courts of record, or other courts; and, from time to time, to 
make and establish all manner of wholesome and reasonable orders, laws and 
statutes; and also, for the necessary support and defence of this government, 
they shall have full power and authority to levy proportionable and reasonable 
assessments, rates and taxes; and to do all and every thing they shall judge to 
be for the good and welfare of the state, and for the government and order- 
ing thereof; provided nevertheless, they shall not have any power to add to, 
alter, abolish, or infringe any part of this constitution. And the enacting 
style in making laws shall be by the Senate and House of Representatives in 
General Court assembled and by the authority of the same. 

XIV.— The Senate and House of Representatives shall be two separate and 
distinct bodies, each to appoint its own officers, and settle its own rules of pro- 



123 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

ceedings, and each shall have an equal right to originate or reject any bill, 
resolve or order, or to propose amendments to the same, excepting bill and 
resolves levying and granting money or other property of the State, which 
shall originate in the House of Representatives only, and be concurred or 
nonconcurred in whole by the Senate. 

XV. — Not less than sixty members shall constitute or make a quorum of the 
House of Representatives; and not less than nine shall make a quorum of the 
Senate. 

XVI. — The Senate and House of Representatives shall have power to ad- 
journ themselves respectively; provided such adjournment shall not exceed 
two days at any one time. 

XVII. — The Governor shall be president of the Senate. He shall be Gen- 
eral and Commander in Chief of the Militia, and Admiral of the Navy of 
this State; and empowered to embody the militia and cause them to be 
marched to any part of the State for the public safety, when he shall think 
necessary; and in the recess of the General Court, to march the militia, by 
advice of the Senate, out of the State, for the defence of this or any other 
of the United States; provided always, that the Governor shall exercise the 
power given by this constitution, over the militia and navy of the State, ac- 
cording to the laws thereof, or the resolves of the General Court. He shall, 
with the advice of the Senate, in the recess of the General Court, have power 
to prorogue the same from time to time, not exceeding forty days in any one 
recess of said Court; and, in the sitting of said Court, to adjourn or pro- 
rogue the said Court to any time they shall desire, or to dissolve the same at 
their request, or to call said Court together sooner than the time to which it 
may be adjourned or prorogued, if the welfare of the State should require the 
same. He shall have power, at his discretion, to grant reprieves to condemned 
criminals for a term or terms of time, not exceeding six months. It shall be 
the duty of the Governor to inform the legislature, at every session of the 
General Court, of the condition of the State; and, from time to time, to 
recommend such matters to their consideration, as shall appear to him to con- 
cern its good government, welfare and prosperity. 

XVIII. — Whenever the person, who may be chosen Governor, shall decline 
the trust to which he is thereby elected, or shall resign or die, or remove out of 
the State, or be otherwise disqualified, the Lieutenant Governor shall have the 
like power during the vacancy in the ofiice of Governor, as the Governor is by 
this Constitution vested with; and, in case of a vacancy in the office of Gov- 
ernor and Lieutenant Governor, the major part of the Senate shall have 
authority to exercise all the powers of a Governor during such vacancy; and, 
in case both the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor be absent from the 
Senate, the senior or first Senator then present shall preside. 

XIX. — All civil officers annually chosen, with salaries annually granted for 
their services, shall be appointed by the General Court by ballot; each branch 
to have a right to originate or negative the choice. All other civil officers, 
aad also all general, field and staff officers, both of the militia and of the 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 133 

troops which may be raised by, and be in the pay of this State, shall be ap- 
pointed by the Governor and Senate; captains and subalterns of troops raised 
by, and in the pay of the State, to be also appointed by the Gorernor and 
Senate. 

XX. — The Governor and Senate shall be a Court for the trial of all im- 
peachments of any officers of this State, provided, that if any impeachment 
shall be prosecuted against the" Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or any one of 
the Senate; in such case the person impeached shall not continue one of the 
Court for that trial. Previous to the trial of any impeachment, the members 
of the court shall be respectively svrorn, truly and impartially to try and de- 
termine the charge in question, according to evidence; vrhich oath shall be 
administered to the members by the President, and to him by anj one of the 
Senate. And no judgment of said Court shall be valid, unless it be assented 
to by two-third of the members of said Court present at such trial; nor shall 
judgment extend further than to removal of the person tried from office, and 
disqualification to hold or enjoy any place of honor, trust or profit under the 
State: the party so convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to in- 
dictment, trial, judgment, and punishment, according to the laws of the State; 
aud the power of impeaching all officers of the Srate for mal- conduct in their 
respective offices shall be vested in the House of Representatives. 

XXI. — The Governor may with the advice of the Senate, in the recess of the 
General Court, lay an Embargo, or prohibit the exportation of any commodity 
for any term of time, not exceeding forty days in any one recess of said Court. 

XXII. — The Governor shall have no negative, as Governor, in any matter 
pointed out by this Constitution to be done by the Governor and Senate, but 
shall have an equal voice with any Senator on any question before them; pro- 
vided that the Governor, or, in his absence out of the Srate, the Lieutenant 
Governor, shall be present in Senate to enable them to proceed on the business 
assigned them by this constitution, as Governor and Senate. 

XXI 11. — The power of granting pardons shall be vested in the Governor, 
Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, for the time 
being, or in either two of them. 

XXIV. — The Justices of the Superior Court, the Justices of the Inferior 
Courts of Common Pleas, Judges of Probate of Wills, Judges of the Maritime 
Courts, and Justices of the Peace, shall hold their respective places during 
good behavior. 

XXV. — The Secretary, Treasurer-General, Ci»mmissary-General, shall be 
appointed annually. 

XXVI. — The Attorney-General, Sheriffs, Registers of the Courts of Probate, 
Coroners, Notaries Public, and Naval Officers, shall be appointed and hold 
their offices during pleasure. 

XXVII. — The Justices of the Superior Court, Justices of the Inferior Courts, 
Courts of the General Sessions of the Peace, and Judges of the Maritime 
Courts, shall appoint their respective clerks. 

XXVIII.— The Delegates for this State to the Continental Congress shall be 



124 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

chosen annually by joint ballot of the Senate and House of Representatives, 
and may be superseded, in the mean time, in the same manner. If any person 
holding the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Senator, Judge of the 
Superior Court, Secretary, Attorney-General, Treasurer-General, or Com- 
missary-General, shall be chosen a member of Congress, and accept the trust, 
the place, which he so held as aforesaid, shall be considered as vacated thereby, 
and some other person chosen to succeed him therein. And if any person, 
serving for this State at said Congress, shall be appointed to either of the 
aforesaid offices, and accept thereof, he shall be considered as resigning his 
seat in Congress, and some other person shall be chosen in his stead. 

XXIX. — No persons unless of the Protestant Religion shall be Governor, 
Lieutenant Governor, a member of the Senate, or of the House of Represen- 
tatives, or hold any judiciary employment within this State. 

XXX. — All commissions shall run in the name of the State of Massachu- 
setts Bay, bear test and be signed by the Governor or Commander-in-Chief 
of the State, for the time being, and have the seal of the state thereunto 
affixed, and be attested by the Secretary or his Deputy. 

XXXI. — All writs issuing out of the clerk's office of any of the courts of law 
within this State shall be in the name of the State of Massachusetts Bay, 
under the seal of the Court from which they issue, bear test of the Chief 
Justice, or senior or first Justice of the Court, where such writ is returnable, 
and be signed by the Clerk of such Court. Indictments shall conclude ' against 
the peace and dignity of the State.' 

XXXII.. — All the statute laws of this State, the common law, and all such 
parts of the English and British statute laws, as have been adopted and usually 
practiced in the Courts of Law in this State, shall still remain and be in full 
force until altered or repealed by a future law or laws of the legislature; and 
shall be accordingly observed and obeyed by the people of this State; such 
parts only excepted as are repugnant to the rights and privileges contained in 
this Constitution; and all parts of such laws as refer to and mention the 
council shall be construed to extend to the Senate. And the inestimable right 
of trial by jury shall remain confirmed as part of this Constitution forever. 

XXXIII. — All monies shall be issued out of the Treasury of this State, and 
disposed of by warrants under the hand of the Governor for the time being, 
with the advice and consent of the Senate, for the necessary defence and 
support of the government, and the protection and preservation of the in- 
habitants thereof, agreeably to the acts and resolves of the General Court. 

XXXIV. — The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and 
worship shall forever be allowed to every denomination of Protestants within 
this State. 

XXXV. — The following oath shall be taken by every person appointed to 
any office in this State, before his entering on the execution of his office; viz. 
/, A. B., do swear {or affirm as the case may he) that I tvill bear faith and 
true allegiance to the State of Massachusetts; and that I will faithfully exe- 
cute the husiness of the office of agreeably to the laws of this State, 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 125 

according to my best skill and Judgment ivithout fear, faoor, affection, or 
partiality. 

XXXVI. — And whereas it may not be practicable to conform to this Con- 
stitution ia the election of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Senators, and 
Representatives for the first year; therefore, The present Convention, if in 
being, or the next General Assembly, which shall be chosen upon the pres- 
ent Constitution, shall determitie the time and manner, in which the people 
shall choose said officers for the first year, and upon said choice the General 
Assembly then in being shall be dissolved and give place to the free execution 

of this Constitution. 

By order of the Convention, 

Jeremiah Powell, 

President. 

Attest. Samuel Freeman, Clerk." 

The foregoing draft of " Form of a Constitution of Government," 
was rejected by the people of the state. The town of Murrayfield 
held its town meeting April 7, at which forty-fonr voted against and 
ten for the proposed constitution. 

Another meeting was held June 1st, 1778, at three o'clock in the 
afternoon, "to elect some person or persons to serve & represent the 
town in the Great & General Court of this state this present year;" also 
"to see if the town will give their particular reasons they have 
against the constitution sent to us from the Court;" and the town 
passed the following vote: "Voted that something be done further 
upon the article respecting the constitution." The meeting then ad- 
journed to June 8th, to further consider the matter; at which time 
the town voted "not to do anything upon the article respecting the 
constitution; also "that this article shall never in the world be brought 
into question without special order from the General Court." 

Clothing for Soldiers. 

One article in the warrant for the April meeting was " To see what 
method the town will come into to provide their quota of clothing for 
the Continental Army, agreeable to a late handbill received from the 
Court in pressing terms requiring us to complete our quota of cloth- 
ing." Under this article the town voted " to raise five shillings on the 
poll & one farthing on the pound to pay for this clothing." Touching 
this subject another town meeting was held July 21st, and it was 
voted that the town give six dollars apiece for shirts, four dollars and 
fifty cents a pair for stockings, and forty shillings a pair for shoes. 
These were required to be provided by September 20th. At the same 



126 A HISTORY OF MURUAYFIELD. 

meeting the town chose "Ensign Lyman, Sergeant John Mclntire, & 
Edward Wright, Jr., a committee to take care of the soldiers' families." 

At the November meeting the town voted to petition the General 
Court " to have the tory lands in this town sold at private sale,'' and 
David Shepard, Timothy Lyman, and John Blair were chosen to be 
a committee to draft the petition. One hundred pounds was then 
voted "for the support of soldiers' families till next March." 

The General Court passed an act October 16th, 1778, forbidding the 
return of certain persons who had gone over to the enemy; and among 
the persons named in said act were three of the original proprietors 
of Murrayfield: John Chandler, Abijah Willard, and John Murray. 

The following act was passed by the General Court June 28th, 1781: 

" Whereas, Thaddeus Newton of Murrayfield in the county of Hamp- 
shire, in the year 1773, was entitled to a good and lawful deed of one 
hundred acres of land in said Murrayfield, from Col. John Chandler 
of Worcester, on certain conditions, which conditions said Newton has 
fulfilled on his part, but said John Chandler hath taken refuge with 
the enemies of these United States, & hath not complied with his said 
agreement; by which means the said Newton will sustain great damage 
unless he is relieved by this Commonwealth. 

"Therefore, Be it enacted by the Senate & House of Representa- 
tives in General Court assembled, & by the authority of the same, that 
lot No. 9, in the First Division in said Murrayfield, laid out to John 
Chandler, Esq., an absentee, be, & hereby is, granted & confirmed to 
him the said Thaddeus Newton, his heirs and assigns as an absolute 
estate of inheritance, in fee simple, forever." 

State of Affairs 1779. 

"At the opening of the new 3'ear" (1779) says Barry, "The situa- 
tion of affairs was discouraging and gloomy. The country was heavily 
burdened with debt; soldiers and their families were subjected to in- 
credible hardships and sufferings; with the depreciation in the cur- 
rency, the salaries of the clergy, which remained as before the war, 
were reduced to a mere pittance, utterly inadequate to their comforta- 
ble support, and their parishioners were nnable, & in some cases un- 
willing, to afford them relief; lukewarm patriots were murmuring & 
complaining; symptoms of insubordination were manifested in various 
quarters; & the utmost vigilance & i^rudence were required to steer the 
ship of state successfully through the breakers which threatened its 
destruction, & bring it safe to the desired haven." 



^1 HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 127 

Depreciation of the Currency. 

The depreciation of the continental bills were such that they would 
not pass for more than one-tenth or one-twentieth of their nominal 
value; "' and, as the state had jiromised the soldiers a honafide compen- 
sation, their families were provided for by the selectmen of the towns, 
& clothing was furnished the soldiers themselves." To remedy these 
evils conventions were held at Concord in July and in October, 1779, at 
which prices were fixed for all the products of the country, and measures 
taken for the purpose and in the hope of preventing further deprecia- 
tion of the currency. A general convention was held in Hartford to 
devise plans for checking extortions and speculations. 

In these patriotic measures Murrayfield was true always to the 
public cause. A meeting was called for July 5th, 1779, ''To see 
what method the town will take in order to procure clothing for the 
arm 3^, agreeable to a late resolve of the General Court." Also '"'To 
see if the town will send a man to Concord for to meet with a con- 
vention of committees of this state in order to adopt some measure for 
to prevent the further depreciation of our paper currency." It does 
not appear that the town sent a "man to Concord;" but at a meeting 
held August 18th, the town "voted unanimously to approve the do- 
ings of the Concord convention of July 14th, and that the town will 
carry the resolves of the convention into execution to the utmost of 
its power." 

A committee, consisting of eleven: Samuel Matthews, William 
Moore, David Shepard, Stephen Lyman, William Campbell, John 
Blair, James Hamilton, Timothy Lyman, Jesse Johnson, Enoch 
Shepard, and James Clark, was chosen to state the prices of things 
in this town. It was also voted "that this committee make a return 
of this vote to the committee at Boston, concerning the regulation of 
prices;" and also, "that this committee take up & secure any person 
that breaks over the resolves of the convention at Concord;" and 
further "that this committee make a report to the town at some 
future day of the prices they set to labor and other things in the town." 

Facts Exhibited by the Valuation Lists. 

The valuation lists of Murrayfield from the year 1773 to the year 
1781, show facts not uninteresting to the political economist. Dur- 
ing this period there was no unusual growth in the number of tax- 
payers. The valuation taken in 1773, showed the aggregate taxable 



128 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 



property in town to be twenty-one hundred and seventy-eight pounds 
and nineteen shillings. Abner Smith, who was and had been for a 
long time the wealthiest man in town, and continned such during the 
period of time above named, was rated at one hundred and 
twenty-seven pounds and five shillings. No other man in the town 
was that year rated as high as one hundred pounds. By this state- 
ment, I refer only to resident tax-payers. 





















V 


s. 


The 


aggregate 


valuation 


in 




1774 


was 


2504 


3 


(t 










(. 




1775 




1605 


6 


(( 










(< 




1776 




1906 


19 


(I 










1 i 
11 




1777 
1778 




38819 
18841 


16 
16 


(t 










ii 




1779 




19688 


3 


(( 










(1 




1780 




4915 




(( 










u 




1781 




3006 


3 


The 


rating i 


of Abner Smith, 


in 


1774 




138 


4 


(( 


(1 












1775 




83 


9 


(( 


(( 












1776 




119 


15 


(( 


(( 












1777 




1273 




(( 


(( 












1778 




702 


2 


(( 


<( 












1779 




625 


17 


(1 


1 i 












1780 




139 


4 


(( 


(( 












1781 




31 


6 



In 1781, he was by far the richest man in town. 



Depreciated Paper Curreistcy. 

During the larger part of this period Murrayfield was suffering, 
with the rest of the country, the evils of a depreciated and depreci- 
ating paper currency. To make this more clear, I take the liberty 
of quoting from the eighteenth edition of Prof. Perry's " Political 
Economy," page 382, the following: ''In June, 1775, a week after 
Bunker Hill, the Continental Congress began its fiscal career by 
voting to emit $2,000,000 in new bills of credit issued on the faith 
of the * Continent,' but referred as to payment to the separate colonies 
in the ratio of their supposed gross population. The best excuse for 
this action is the one urged by the Congress itself to the French 
minister: 

"America, never having been much taxed, nor for a contimied length 
of time, being withoui fixed government & contending against ivhat was 
once the laivful authority, had no funds to siqiport the war; and, the 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 129 

contest heinq upon the very question of taxation, the levying of imposts, 
unless froyn the last necessity, would have been madness. To borrow 
from individuals ivithout any visible means of repaying them, lohile 
the loss was certain from ill success, was visionary. A tneasure, there- 
fore, which had been early adopted, and thence became familiar to the 
people, ^oas])ursued. This was the issimig of paper notes representing 
specie for the redemption of which the public faitli iv as pledged.' 

''One phrase only of this clear passage is cloudy — 'paper notes 
representing specie/ John Law cast some haze over the Continental 
Congress; the wording of the notes is curiously obscure: ' This bill 
entitles the bearer to receive ten Spanish milled dollars;' the notes 
in no sense represented specie; they virtually promised to pay 
it to the bearer; unluckily, the party issuing the promise was not the 
party bound to pay; the continent promised while the colonies were 
expected to fulfill; unluckily, also, no good provision was made by 
either party tor i\\Q fulfillment of these promises; and consequently the 
vice of the continental money was, that there was no economical 
limitation of their supply. The notes were not amenable to the law 
of supply and demand in the ordinary way, and hence they could not 
long maintain a steady value. In a certain remote sense they were 
indeed amenable to that law, which presided over the decline and 
final extinction of their value. These issues, too, came into competi- 
tion with the revolutionary issues of eleven separate colonies, New 
Hampshire and Georgia issuing none, the total of which in 1775-83 
was $209,524,776. So that this further increase of supply depreciated 
in comparison with silver both classes of notes. Eighteen months, 
however, had passed, and $20,000,000 continental had been authorized, 
besides large local issues, before a marked depreciation began. 

"As the issues increased, as it became evident to all that no provision 
was made to keep the promises, and as Burgoine was jDrosperously ad- 
vancing from Canada towards New York, the middle of 1777 saw a 
general fall of the notes, not the same in all the States at the same 
time, and not at all in strict ratio with the increase of the notes. At 
the close of 1777, the average depreciation from silver was not far 
from three to one; at the close of 1778, it was not far from six to one; 
at the end of 1779, it was about twenty-eight to one; the press then 
rested, after Congress had put out nominally $200,000,000; but 
actually about $40,000,000 more than that, though the ceasing of 
issue did not arrest the cascade of discredit. Early in 1780, Congress 
advised the States to repeal their laws making the bills a legal tender 
for debts, and devise the scheme of 'new tenor,' by which the old 



130 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

bills might be taken up in u new ]mper bearing interest at six percent, 
in a ratio of forty to one, to which the old bills had now sunk in com- 
parison with silver, and $88,000,000 of the old paper were thus re- 
deemed, New York and Massachusetts and Rhode Island taking up 
their entire quota in this way; but the 'new tenor' money never came 
into much circulation, and old and new alike dropi*ed out altogether 
in the spring of 1781, when the old notes, if passed at all, were pass- 
ing at about three hundred to one. The Continental army in camp at 
Newburgh, combined to refuse to receive them on any terms; and 
President Reed gives a pleasing picture of the way in which they 
passed out in Pennsylvania: 

" 'At once, as if by that force tvhich in days of ignorance looultl be 
ascribed to enchantment, all dealings in paper ceased; necessity brought 
out the gold and silver, a fortunate trade opened at the same time to 
the Havana for flour, all restrictions ivere taken off, and the Mexican 
dollars flotoed in by thoiisands; this supported the sinking spirits of 
those who ivonld have bee?!, discontented and uneasy, and in a feio days 
specie became the universal medium and so continues.' 

"The country found no more lack of silver for money than Massa- 
chusetts had found in 1749. Assuming that only $200,000,000 Con- 
tinental had been issued, Jefferson estimated that the nation realized 
from them $36,367,720 in specie value, or eighteen per cent, of the 
nominal value. Ill effects of every kind came in the wake of this 
poor money. Rising prices are ever the gauge of a falling money; 
rising prices then as ever gave birth to rash speculations; committees 
of safety undertook angrily to punish, under the names of 'forestal- 
lers " and ' engrossers ' the speculators who bought commodities for a 
further rise; there was the confusion of contracts usual under varia- 
ble money, gains for the artful and unscrupulous, and envy and suffer- 
ings for the poor. Shays' Rebellion in Massachusetts, in 1786, was a 
national outgrowth of this fearful injustice; debtors availed themselves 
of the legal tender quality of the bills to pay only one-twentieth or 
one-fortieth of what was due; the morals of all classes of the people 
became corrupted through constantly calling things that were not ah 
though they were; peculations pervaded society; Congress itself used 
wretched sophistries in resolving that the money ' ought to pass cur- 
rent in all payments, trade and dealings, and be deemed equal in value 
to the same nominal sums in Spanish dollars,' and in lauding the 
papers as the only kind of money 'which cannot take to itself wings 
and fly away ! It remains ivitli us, it tcill not forsake us, it is ahoays 
ready at hand for the purposes of convenience, and every ijidustrious 



A HISTORY OF MURRAY FIELD. 131 

man can find it.' John Jay, and many others wlio knew better, 
helped to make current such nonsense as tlr's; and then, a little later, 
swallowing all its brave words, Congress repudiated for its part, and 
advised in effect the States to repudiate, all obligations to redeem these 
bills. Their volume had been swelled both by native and by British 
counterfeiters, and there was almost no crime to which their issue and 
depreciation did not contribute. Noah Webster, a clear headed essay- 
ist of the lime, said of this paper money: ' We have svffered more 
fro7n this cause than from every other cause or calamity. It has hilled 
more men, corrupted the choicest interests of our country more, and 
done more injustice, than even the artns and artifices of our enemy.' 

" Washington, himself as a creditor the victim of that form of social 
robbery involved in a depreciated legal tender, unfortunately did not 
understand the mysteries or rather the simplicities of paper money, 
and thus vented his wrath towards the wrong objects: 'It gives me 
sincere pleasure to find that the Assembly is so well disposed to second 
your endeavors to bring those murderers of our cause, the monopolizers, 
forestallers, and engrossers, to condign punishment. It is much to be 
lamented that eacJi State, long ere this, has not hunted them down as 
pests to society, and the greatest e7iemies we have to the happiness of 
America. I would to God that some one of the more atrocious in each 
State icas hung on gibbets upon a galloivs five times as high as the one 
prepared for Hainan! No punishment, in my opinion, is too severe for 
the man who can build his greatness upon his country's ruin! " 

County Conventiox to Fix Prices for Necessaries of Life. 

A county convention was held at Northampton in September, 1779, 
for fixing the prices of the necessaries of life. The town sent Timothy 
Lyman as a delegate to this convention, and at the town meeting held 
October 18th, voted to abide by the doings of the convention, and 
chose Deacon Samuel Matthews, Lieutenant William Moore, and 
Ensign Stephen Lyman a committee "to see that the doings of the 
convention are not violated.*^ 

Controversy with Other Towns Concerning Quotas. 

At the March meeting 1779, Deacon Samuel Matthews, Ensign 
Stephen Lyman, and Lieutenant William Moore were chosen to be the 
committee of safety. One article in the warrant was, " To see what 
method the towii will take in order to defend themselves against the 
unreasonable claims of other towns respecting the Continental soldiers 



132 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

which the town has hired into the service, and to pass such vote re- 
specting the article above mentioned as they shall judge best." What 
these ''unreasonable claims of other towns" were does not appear. 
Perhaps Murray field had hired men who were residents of other 
towns to help fill its own quota. This would naturally lead to con- 
troversy. Ensign Stephen Lyman was chosen to go to Northampton 
" to defend the town against the unjust claims of other towns con- 
cerning the Continental soldiers.'' 

The nature of this controversy is made more clear from the follow- 
ing entry upon the record book of the town: "Murrayfield, April 
13th, 1779. Then the town of Murrayfield met upon the desire of 
the selectmen and consulted what method the town shall take in order 
to make a new return of the Continental men. Voted there shall be 
a return made of all the men that have been enlisted from the town, 
and likewise of all those that have been hired from other towns into 
the continental service, and that all the light that can be given shall 
be put in." In this connection the following from a muster roll of 
this year will not be uninteresting. The roll contained the following 
memoranda of men put in by Murrayfield: 

"Francis Thompson, age 17, height, 5 feet 6 inches; complection brown. 
Ebenezer Smith, age 18, height, 5 feet 7 inches; complection dark." 

They were in Captain Black's company in the regiment of Colonel 
Mosley. On the back of the muster roll was the following endorsement: 

"Springfield, 31st July, 1779. Received of Justin Ely, Esq., commissioner 
for the State of Massachusetts Bay, the men mentioned in the within list to 
serve for nine months in the Continental Army agreeable to a resolution of 
General Court of said State of June 8. Theophalus Clark." 

Proposed New Constitution. 

A town meeting was held May 17, at which the town was called 
upon to consider "whether they choose at this time to have anew 
Constitution or Form of Government made, and whether they will 
give their Kepresentatives power to do anything to make one;" 
Thirty-four voted in favor and none against. This was in response to 
the resolve passed by the General Assembly of the State, as follows: 

"In the House of Eepresentatives, Feb. 19, 1779. 

Whereas, The Constitution or Form of Civil Government, which was pro- 
posed by the late Convention of this State to the People thereof, hath been 
disapproved by a majority of the inhabitants of said State. — 



A HTSTORY OF MURRAYFIELT). 133 

And Whereas, It is doubtful from the Representations made to this Court, 
what are the sentiments of the major part of the good People of this State, 
as to the expediency of now proceeding to form a new Constitution of Gov- 
ernment. — 

Therefore Resolved, That the Selectmen of the several towns within this 
State cause the Freeholders and other Inhabitants ia their respective towns, 
duly qualified to vote for Representatives, to be lawfully warned to meet 
together in some convenient place therein, on or before the last Wednesday of 
May next, to consider of, and determine upon the following questions: — 

First. — Whether they choose, at this time, to have a New Constitution or 
Form of Government made. 

Secondly. — Whether they will empower their Representatives for the next year 
to vote for the calliug a State Convention, for the sole purpose of forming a 
New Constitution; provided it shall appear to them, on examination, that a 
major part of the People present and voting at the meetings, called in the 
manner and for the purpose aforesaid, shall have answered the first question 
in the affirmative. 

And in order that the sense of the People may he known thereon. — 

Be it fiirtJier Resolved, That the Selectmen of each town be and hereby 
are directed to return into the Secretary's Office, on or before the first Wednes- 
day of June next, the doings of their respective towns, on the first ques- 
tion above mentioned, certifying the numbers voting in the affirmative, and 
the numbers voting in the negative, on said question." 

A majority of the people in the state voted in favor of calling the 
convention, and in accordance with the advice of the General Court, 
precepts were issued for the choice of delegates to meet at Cambridge 
in the month of September. The result of this convention was the 
drafting of a constitution and a declaration of rights which the people, 
by more than a two-thirds vote, approved. The town meeting held in 
Murrayfield to act upon the constitution was appointed to be held 
May 2d, 1780. The first action taken by the town was choosing a 
committee of three from each school district to consider the proposed 
Constitution and declaration of rights and report at an adjourned 
meeting. This committee consisted of the following persons: Samuel 
Jones, John Jones, Benjamin Eggleston, Deacon James Hamilton, 
Lieutenant William Moore, Deacon Jesse Johnson, Doctor David 
Shepard, Ensign Stephen Lyman, Deacon Samuel Matthews, William 
Bell, Lieutenant John N"ewton Parmenter, Aaron Bell, Ebenezer 
Stowe, Lieutenant James Clark, Captain James Black, Jonathan 
Webber, Gershom Rust, Reuben Woolworth, Benj;imin Converse, 
Robert Proctor, and Daniel Twadwell. The meeting then adjourned 
to May ICth, at which eight voted for and the remainder against the 
proposed constitution. But another meeting was called and held May 



134 A HI8TURY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

26th, to further consider and vote npon the proposed constitution, 
with the following results: 

" On the second article of the Constimtion, Section one, Chapter two, page 
17, objected against by fifteen." A proposed " alteration that the governor 
instead of being of the Curistian Religion it should be inserted that he shall 
be of the Christian & Protestant Religion, voted by fifteen." 

" Article ten, page 33 objected against as it stands now by twelve votes." 
The provision objected to was as foil )ws: "The Captains and sub.ilterns of 
the militia shall be elected by the written votes of the train-band &. alarm 
list of their respective companies, of twenty-one years of age & upwards;" 
«&c. The town "voted for the alteration following, viz.: 'That all persons 
that are in the train- band & alarm list above the age of sixteen shall have 
liberty to vote for their captains & subalters,' " by a vote of thirteen. 

" Part second, Chapter one, Section one, Article four was voted for by ten, 
objected against by two." The reason offered was " that those articles that 
have duties & excises laid on them will come dearer to the purchaser." This 
article defined the power and authority of the Geueral Court. The part of it 
particularly objected to reads as follows: " And also to impose, & levy 
reasonable duties & excises, upon any produce, goods, wares, merchandize, «fe 
commodities whatsoever, brought into, produced, manufactured, or being 
within the same." 

" Cnapter six, voted for a revision of the Constitu'ion in ten years if the 
people have a mind for it." 

" Voted that all the other articles in the Constitution shall stand as they be, 
or that we are willing that they should stand without any alteration." 

June l«;th, 1780, the Constitutional Convention passed a resolve that 
the first General Court under the new constitution should he holden 
on the last Wednesday in October, ''And in order thereto, there shall 
be a meeting of the Inhabitants of each Town & Plantation in the 
several Counties within this State, legally warned «& held, on the first 
Monday of (September next, for the purpose of electing a Governor, 
Lieut. Governor, »& persons for Councillors & Senators." A meeting 
was also required to be held in October following for the choice 
of representatives to the General Court. In pursuance of this 
resolve the Selectmen of Murrayfield called a meeting for September 
4th. Twenty-seven votes were cast for John Hancock for (Governor. 
At the October meeting David Shepard was elected to represent the 
town in the General Court. 

A t5wn meeting was held in Murrayfield, January 31st, 1780. John 
Newton Parmenter was chosen moderator, and the meeting then ad- 
journed to Landlord White's and finislied ii:s business. Tiiis adjourn- 
ment was j)robably in consequence of the weather being too cold to 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 135 

hold the meeting m the meetiug-house. At this meeting the town 
voted "to give those who furnished wool &c for soldiers' blankets 
twenty-four fold from the year 1774 for what they furnished/' 

At the March meeting Etisign Stephen Lyman, Deacon Samuel 
Matthews, and Ebenezer Stowe were chosen to be the committee of 
safety. The election of committees of safety was now required by law. 

The law also required towns to provide for the support of soldiers' 
families, and the town, in 1780, raised six hundred pounds for that 
purpose. 

Support of Soldiers' Families and Clothing eor Soldiers. 

Clothing the soldiers and furnishing them transportation was put 
upon the towns. At the March meeting, 1781, the town voted "'that 
those persons that found the clothing for the soldiers the year past 
shall have the money allowed for the same by the General Court." 

Pay of Soldiers. 

A committee was chosen 'Uo procure money for the soldiers that 
had, & were about to enlist; & that the committee borrow one hun- 
dred t& fifty dollars silver & one half of it in paper according to the 
exchange;" also " to raise twelve hundred silver dollars in order to 
hire or pay the men that have inlisted or may inlist into the Conti- 
nental Army for three years, & that the said sum of money be assessed 
immediately & that the whole be paid into the town treasury by the 
first of May next." But a part of this action was reconsidered at a 
meeting held April 2d; and the town then voted "to raise six hun- 
dred hard dollars & six hundred hard dollars more or an equivolent in 
paper money or specie according to the exchange." Also voted that 
said sum ''be paid into the treasury by the 7th of April inst." 

Raising Additional Men for the Army. 

At a meeting held July 25th, the town voted '' to raise five men for 
three months' service to go into the Continental Army;" and "to give 
them fifty hard dollars each, and paying each man ten hard dollars 
before he marched, & the town to draw their Avages." Stephen 
Lyman was chosen " a committee to buy & sell cattle enough to pur- 
chase the money to pay the soldiers their ten dollars a man." 

In April, 1782, the town chose a committee to procure two more Con- 
tinental men recently called for; and in June the town voted "to raise 
fifty pounds to i)ay for two Continental men, & to borrow the money 



136 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

for a few days;" and Edward Wright, Jr., was appointed "a com- 
mittee " to try to borrow the money. At a meeting held February 3d, 
1783, the town voted "that the selectmen provide two shirts for 
Samuel Brewer now in the Continental Army." 

Beef for the Army. 

In 1780 a requisition was made by the General Court upon the town 
of Murrayfield to furnish a certain quantity of beef for the army. At 
a meeting held October 16th of that year the town voted "to purchase 
3,840 weight of beef, and to raise five thousand pounds for the above 
use;" and Captain Joel Seaward, Timothy Lyman and Captain James 
Black were chosen a committee to make the purchase. In December 
the General Court called for more beef for the army; and a town 
meeting was called and held January 9tb, 1781, in the meeting-house; 
but it was so cold that as soon as a moderator was chosen the meeting 
adjourned to the house of Doctor Shepard, and then voted ''to raise 
eight thousand pounds to purchase this town's proportion of beef; 
and that the money should be paid in by the 20th of February next.'^ 
A committee of three was then chosen to purchase " the beef & grain 
that is sent for by the General Court as reasonable as they can, & 
deliver the same at the place appointed by the County's Committee, & 
all their reasonable costs shall be allowed them." Later on other 
requisitions for beef were made: July lOtli, 1781, the town voted " to 
raise a sum of money suflBcient to purchase 3,044 pounds of beef, to 
be assessed upon the inhabitants, non-residents, and absentees of Mur- 
rayfield at the current price that the superintendent shall say the 
price is through the county, & that the assessors be directed to assess 
the same as soon as they can or shall receive the amount from the 
superintendent;" and on the 30th of July, " seventy pounds in silver 
money," were raised to pay for the beef. 

Poverty of the Town. 

Finally, at a meeting held August 26th, 1782, more beef having been 
called for, the town decided that it could not purchase "any beef for 
Mr. Phelps or the Army." The town had become very poor; its 
aggregate valuation was but three thousand and six pounds. It may 
be an interesting fact to the reader, that at a town meeting held July 
5th, 1781, the town instructed the constables — who were also the tax 
collectors at that time — "not to take any more paper money towards 
what they were indebted to the town at present for taxes." 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 137 

Eaising Men for the Army. 

Inasmuch as many of the men who went into the army, either vol- 
unteered or were raised by the payment of bounty tbrough the efforts 
of private individuals actuated either by pure patriotism, or, which was 
more frequently the case, by a desire to escape personal service in the 
army, the records of the town give very little light as to who went, how 
they were induced to serve, when they went, or where they served. 
But toward the last of the war, as might be expected, the records of 
the town show some action by the town in its corporate capacity. In 
December, 1780, the General Court called upon Murrayfield to furnish 
some more men for the Continental Army. At a meeting held January 
30th, 1781, the town voted " to raise six men for tbe army for tbree 
years or during the war;" and " Cajit. Abner Smith, Lieut, AVilliam 
Campbell, Ebenezer Stowe, Lieut. James Clark, Capt. John Kelso, 
& Abner Smith, Jr., were chosen a committee to hire six men, & their 
reasonable charges shall be allowed." 

Averaging and Equalizing the War Burden, 

Some disagreements arose among the inhabitants of Murrayfield as 
to the equal sharing of the burdens of the war. This was perfectly 
natural in a struggle like our war for independence. It was not a war 
carried on by an established government for its own aggrandizement, 
but it was the struggle of a people to establish a government of their 
own which it was fondly believed would shower equal blessings upon 
all; and it was expected and justly demanded that each individual 
should do his proportionate share of the common duties, and bear his 
proportionate share of the common burdens, as he expected to enjoy 
his share of the common blessings which would be the reward of 
success. 

At a town meeting held July 5th, 1780, it was voted, "that the town 
will come into an average of what they have done before with respect 
to the service done in the war if the town will pass the following 
vote, viz. : 

" 1st. That every moath's service that a person has done in the present war 
shall be estimated alike in every year. 2d. That those persons that are be- 
hind in the service, estimating it by polls & estates, shall be obliged to hire 
or go into the service until they are on an equality with those that have done 
the most according as they stand in the town valuation." 

The town also passed the following votes: 



138 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

" Voted to choose a committee to adjust the service of each man in the 
present war. 

" Voted to choose five to join vrith the officers. Chose Doct. David Shepard, 
Mr. Ebenezer Stovve, Timothy Lyman, Lieut. Newton Parmenter & Samuel 
Bell." 

When the committee came to the work of adjusting and equalizing 
the service, they found difficulties growing out of the claims and demands 
of individuals touching the services they claimed to have rendered. 
So at a meeting held on the 4th of September, the town voted to sub- 
mit these differences to a committee of three persons not residents of 
the town, and selected for this committee, Col. Timothy Roberts, 
Maj. Warham Parks, and Capt. David Mosely of Westfield. Ebenezer 
Stowe, Lieut. John Newton Parmenter, and Doct. Shepard were 
chosen to represent the town before the committee. There were 
several persons with whom these differences had arisen; but En- 
sign Stephen Lyman was one whose name appeared in the records 
of the town. 

At a meeting held K\\x\\ 2d, 1781, the town voted that ''every 
month's service should be estimated equally alike from the beginning of 
the war until this day;" and also voted that Sergeant John Blair, 
Sergeant John Mclutire, and Lieut. "William Campbell be a committee 
to make the average, and they were given a month's time to do it and 
make their report to the town. But the differences were not settled 
to the satisfaction of all concerned; and a meeting was called for Sep- 
tember 7th, " To hear the petition of Timothy Smith & others respect- 
ing the average sum the court allowed them.'' Also, "To see if the 
town will come into any method that there may be an average made 
of past services in the war." But the town voted, "not to give those 
persons that hired the six & three months' men the average sum ordered 
by the General Court." The town then voted to choose a committee 
consisting of five: Capt. James Black, Doct. David Shepard, Lieut. 
William Campbell, Ensign Stephen Lyman, and Thomas Elder, " to 
make an average of past services in the present war;" and also voted, 
" that every month's service be estimated at forty shillings j^er month, 
that has been done in the present war." 

Another meeting was held September 17th, for the purpose of try- 
ing to adjust the differences between Timothy Smith and others on 
the one hand and the town on the other, Avithout going to court; and 
it was voted that, " the town will come to an average of all past ser- 
vices as near as may be in the present war by the last of November 
next upon the rules of justice and equity and leave it to a committee 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 139 

of one man out of town for a chairman and two men tliat the town 
shall pitch upon in the town; and said committee shall lay the same 
before the town as soon as completed, & if the town agrees to the aver- 
age it shall be binding, saving that if any individual thinks himself 
aggrieved he or they shall have liberty of an appeal to indifferent men 
out of town, he or they paying the cost if they are not injured, and 
if the committee out of town finds him or them injured by the first 
average the town shall j)ay the cost. Chose Col. Timothy Robertson, 
chairman of the committee, & Doct. David Shei)ard & Mr. Timothy 
Lyman for the committee." This committee made a report to the 
town at ji meeting held June 10th, 1782; and the town voted, " to 
accept tlie average that Capt. Shepard read." The town then chose 
a committee consisting of Capt. Sloper of Blandford, Deac. Brewster 
of Worthington, and Deac. Wares of Norwich, " to settle with the 
aggrieved party." But what this settlement was, or whether it was to 
the satisfaction of the aggrieved party, does not appear. It probably 
ended the controversy; and this was of more consequence to all con- 
cerned than that it should be settled to the exact line of equity. 

Deacon Jesse Johnson and others appear to have been another 
group of aggrieved persons; but evidently they were less persistent 
than Timothy Smith and his friends, for at a town meeting held July 
10th, 1781, the town ''voted not to allow to Deac. Johnson & others 
what the average sum was that was allowed them by the General 
Court for the six & three months' men;" and here this case apparently 
ended. Stephen Lyman and Timothy Lyman appear to have made 
some claim which the town disposed of by a vote passed December, 
1780, " to allow the Lymans three-fourths of the service of those 
three years' men." These were probably men sent by the Lymans as 
substitutes. 

I will now give the names of those who served in the war for the 
town of Murrayfield, as they appear upon the enrollment lists now in 
the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth. The minute men 
who marched to Cambridge in Col. Seth Pomeroy's regiment in April, 
1775, were the following: David Shepard, James Clark, Gershom 
Rust, John Mclntii-e, Russell Dewey, George Williams, Nathan 
Wright, Benjamin Wright, John Blair, Asa Gould, Benjamin Eggles- 
ton, James Geer, Archelus Anderson. 

Col. Seth Pomeroy was a Northampton man, a gunsmith by trade, 
and served as major in the French and Indian War, in 1745, and 
was ill the battle of Crown Point. He also served at the siege of 
Louishurg. At tlie time of the battle of Bunker Hill he had been 



140 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

appointed a brigadier-general. Of his conduct at the battle of Bunker 
Hill, Bancroft speaks as follows: " The veteran Seth Pomeroy, of 
Northampton, an old man of seventy, once second in rank in the 
Massachusetts army, but now postponed to younger men, heedless of 
the slight, was roused by the continuance of the cannonade, and rode 
to Charlestown Neck; there, thoughtful for his horse, which was a 
borrowed one, he shouldered his fowling-piece, marched over on foot, 
and amidst loud cheers of welcome took a place at the rail-fence." 
At the retreat he " walked backward facing the enemy & brandishing 
his musket till it was struck & marked by a ball." He was elected a 
brigadier general by Congress; but perceiving some distrust of his 
capacity on account of his age, he retired from the camp before re- 
ceiving his commission. Well might our Murrayfield minute men 
have felt proud to serve nnder such a man. 

The following named Murrayfield men enlisted and went in Col. 
David Brewster's regiment, 9th Continental, April 24th, 1775: Capt. 
Malcom Henry, Sergeant William French, William Spencer Smith, 
Joseph Henry, William Foot, John Elder, and Ezekiel Snow; and 
they were discharged October 7th, 1775. The name of William 
French does not a])pear among the discharged. 

John Laccore, David Blair, George Black, William Moore, Thomas 
Elder, and Thomas Smith went into the army in 1775, for a short 
service. Thomas Smith again enlisted in August, 1775. Aschel 
Johnson enlisted in Capt. Hastings' Company, May 20th, 1775, and 
was discharged September 24th, 1775. George Black and Thomas 
Smith were discharged at Roxbury, October 6th, 1775. They had 
served in Col. Davidson's regiment and in Capt. Ferguson's company. 
In 1776, David Bolton, William Smith, and Eli Woolworth went 
into service nnder Capt. Reuben Munn in the regiment commanded 
by Col. Nicholas Dike. 

October 21, 1776, the men named below joined Col. John Mosley's 
regiment and marched to Mount Independence under command of 
Lieut. Col. Timothy Robertson: Capt. Enoch Shepard, Lient. Wil- 
liam Campbell, Sergeant Gershom Rust, Sergeant John Mclntire, Ser- 
geant Nathan Wright, Corporal John Elder, Edward Wright, a fifer, 
and the following privates : Alexander Partridge, James Bentley, 
Ebenezer Freeman, Allen Geer, Thomas Elder, William Elder, Eben. 
ezer Stowe, John Smith, Lemuel Laccore, Abner Smith, and Jonathan 
Wait. Their term of service was twenty- eight days. 

March 1st, 1777, Jehiel Eggleston and James Fobes enlisted for 
three years or during the war. December 19th, 1778, Patrick King 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELI). 141 

■enlisted and went into the 9th regiment; and in July, 1780, Elijah 
Brewer* enlisted and went into the 7th regiment. Joseph Winter, 
age 17 years, Francis Thomas,f aged 17 years, described as five feet 
six inches in height, and of brown complexion, and Ebenezer Smith 
age 18 years, described five feet seven inches in height and of brown 
complexion, enlisted July 9th, 1779, for nine months. 

John Thompson was drafted and went into Col. John Mosley's 
regiment. 

In 1780, the persons named below served in Capt. Black^s company 
and Col. Mosley's regiment for three and six months: John Carlile, 
William Carlile, Alexander McCn.llen, William Harris, Timothy 
Smith, Jesse Wright, Elijah Brewer, James Moore, Daniel Babcock, 
Abraham Converse, Isaac Converse, Jude Jones, Samuel Woolworth, 
Nathan Matthews, Nathaniel Babcock and Primus Hill. 

The following names appear as of the new levies for six months from 
Massachusetts, under date May 29th, 1780: Joseph Gilbert, Patrick 
King, Leonard Pigne, Noah Wilson, Moses Barr, John Carlile, William 
Carlile, Alexander McCullen, Joseph Winter, Timothy Smith, Jesse 
Wright and William Harris. 

The following named persons enlisted April 16th, 1781: Justin 
Rust, Samuel Eust, Quartus Rust, Edward Taylor, Archelus Ander- 
son, and on June 5th, 1781, Elijah Stanton. At another time in the 
same year Alexander Mecla, Timothy Smith, William Harris, John 
Curtis, Elijah Brown, Jesse Wright and Joseph Witter went together. 
Witter was 17 years of age, five feet eight inches in height and of dark 
complexion. 

Timothy Smith, Jesse Wright, John Carlile, William Carlile, W^in- 
ter, and Daniel Babcock appear on an enrollment list in 1780 as six 
months men; also, on another enrollment list, Alexander McCullen 
and William Harris. 

I give the above lists as I find them on the several enrollment lists 
on file in the office of the Secretary of State. 

Excise Duties. 

x\t a town meeting held in January, 1782, the town voted to instruct 
its representative to ''do his endeavor "to get the duties taken off 
sundry articles. Spirituous liquors, rum, tea and indigo were specifi- 
jpally named with an etc. 

* It does not appear that Brewer was a Murrayfleld man. He is referred to in the town 
records as " Samuel Brewer." 
t In one enrollment list his name is Francis Thompson, which is pi obably correct 



142 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

Action Touching the Northwest Corner of the Town. 

A special town meeting was called to be held March 29th, 1779, and 
one article in the warrant was: "To see if the town will consent to 
have the northwest corner of this town set off to join with Worthing- 
ton and Becket corner in order to make a society or town,'" This was 
in response to the following petition: 

" MuRRAYFlELD, February 18th, 1779. 
Whereas we, the inhabitants of the north west parts of the town of Mur- 
rayfleld being convened together with the inhabitants of the north east part of 
Becket & south west part of Worthington, unanimously think it best to be set 
off as a town: Wherefore we request & desire to be set off from this town 
& adjoin those forementioned inhabitants; our living so remote from the 
middle of the town makes it very tedious attending any town business especially 
the preaching of the Gospel. Therefore we whose names are underwritten 
do humbly petition to this town to set us off near as far as Thomas Elders. 

(Signed) Samuel Jones, 
John Taylor, 
John Thompson, 
John Jones, 
Benjamin Eggleston, 
BiGOTT Eggleston, 
Lebanon Isham." 

The town voted not to grant the request. But sometime after the 
name of the town was changed to " Chester," the legislature took such 
action that the northwest corner of the town became part of the town 
of Middlefield, by an act passed Marcli 21st, 1783. 

Change of Name. 

- As early as December, 1775, action was taken with a view to changing 
the name of the town. There was a town in Hampshire county called 
Myrifield, afterward incorporated under the name of Eowc. The simi- 
larity of the names caused great confusion in various ways; so the select- 
men of the town of Murrayfield inserted an article in the warrant " To 
see if the town will vote to alter the name of the town, & if so, to vote 
what name tliey would have it called." The town voted to have the 
name changed to " Mount Asaph," and chose a committee, consisting of 
Lieutenant Enoch Shepard, Deacons Jesse Johnson and James Hamil- 
ton, '* to petition the General Court for the alteration." The reason 
for this proposed change as given in the " History of the Connecticut 



A HISTORY OF MUERAYFIELD. 143 

Valley" is not only misleading, but it is absurd. John Murray, to be 
sure, became a tory and left the country; but not, probably, until after 
the declaration of independence. At any rate, the act by which he and 
others were forbidden to return was not passed until 1778. If the 
reason for making the change was that John Murray had become odious 
as a tory, there was no objection to the fact being named in their 
petition. There is no evidence that a petition to change the name to 
" Mount Asaph" was ever presented to the General Court pursuant to 
the vote of the town. No further action was had upon this subject 
until, at the November meeting 1783, the town voted ''to petition the 
General Court to have the name of this town altered, & to have it 
called ' Mountfair,' or any other name the court shall see fit;" and 
"that the town clerk be directed to send a petition to the General 
Court with the spirit of the above vote included therein." A petition 
was accordingly sent to the General Court for a change of name. But 
a meeting was called for February 10th, 1783, for the purpose of re- 
considering the vote to call the town " Mountfair," and the vote was 
reconsidered, and a vote passed that the town be called " Fairfield. '^ 
But for some reason the General Court would not grant this name, and 
the name " Chester" was selected. The act changing the name reads 
as follows: 

" Whereas, from the great similarity between the names of said town called 
Murrayfield & a plantation called Merryfield* in this commonwealth, many 
difficulties & inconveniences have arisen, & the inhabitants of the former pray 
that the name of the said town may be altered. 

Therefore, Be it enacted by the Senate & House of Representatives, in Gen- 
eral Court assembled, & by the authority of the same, that the land lying in 
the county of Hampshire, formerly incorporated into a town by the name of 
Murrayfield, shall no longer bear that name; but henceforth shall be called & 
known by the name of Chester, the afore;^aid incorporating act notwithstand- 
ing. And all officers in the said town shall hold & exercise their offices re- 
spectively, in the same manner as they would have done had not the name of 
said town been altered." 

This act was passed February 21st, 1783, but as it did not go into 
effect immediately upon its passage, the March meeting was called 
under the old name and also a meeting in April. 

March Meeting, 1783. 

The March meeting was held the 3d of the month, Stephen Lyman 
was chosen moderator, and David Shepard was chosen town clerk. 

*This name was sometimes spelled "Myrifield," and sometimes " Merryfield."' It wap.a few 
years later, incorporated under the name of '■ Rowe." 



144 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

But it was too cold to continue the meeting in the meeting-house, so 
it was adjourned to meet " down to William Stowe's house." At this 
meeting the last election was had of town officers for the town under 
its old name. They were as follows: 

Selectmen and Assessors.— ^ohu Blair, William Campbell and Tim- 
othy Lyman. 

Treasurer. — Stephen Lyman. 

Constalles. — Benjamin Converse for the south end of the town and 
Timothy Smith for the north end. 

Tytlnngmen. — Gideon Matthews and Andrew Henry. 

Wardens. — Reuben Woolworth, Samuel Moore, David Shepard, 
Deacon James Hamilton. 

Surveyors of Highways.— 3 o^q\^\\ Abbott, Jr., Edward Wright, Jr., 
Thomas Smith, James Core, William Foot, Samuel Moore, Captain 
Alexander, John Clark and Robert Smith. 

Fence Viewers. — James Moore and Robert Smith. 

Hog Reeves.— Jonathan W^aite, Jr., William Smith and Jonathan 
Draper. 

Sealer of Weights and Measures. — William Stone. 

Sealer of Lumber. — Deacon Matthews. 

Pound Keeper. — William Foot. 

Sealer of Leather. — Isaac Bissell. 

The collection of taxes was put up to the lowest bidder, and it was 
struck off to Timothy Smith at fourpence on the pound. Eighty 
pounds were raised for repairs of highways, and three shillings was 
fixed as the price of a day's work. 

At the April meeting some roads were accepted; and this was the 
last town meeting held under the name of Murrayfield. 



APPKNDIX. 



No records of births were kept by the town until Doctor David 
Shepard was chosen clerk of the town of Murrayfield. To him we 
are indebted for such records of births, deaths and marriages as appear 
in the record book of the town prior to 1790. It appears that he took 
pains to gather such facts as he could, and write them out in the last 
part of the one book that was kept to record all the doings of the town 
in. They are little more than memoranda jotted here and there with- 
out much regard to order or arrangement. Although extending later 
than the time of the foregoing history, I have ventured to gather up 
and arrange in this appendix all the facts for the convenince of the 
reader and especially for the convenience and information of persons 
who are interested in the families of the early settlers of Murrayfield. 
Some of the births recorded took place in other towns, some before 
the parents came here, and in some cases the mothers went to their 
old homes and remained until confinement. 

The births were as follows: 

To Abiel and Sarah Abbott: Joseph, June 11, 1783; Nathan, November 1, 
1784; Sally, April 4, 1787; Atcksa, July 28, 1789. 

To Ebenezer and Anna Abbott: Rufus, January 31, 1784; Anna, December 
4, 1786; Tryphena, May 24, 1789. 

To John and Louis Abbott: Phebe, November 23, 1777; John, March 10, 
1783; Dolly, March 17, 1785; Billa, February 10, 1788. 

To Joseph J. and Hannah Abbott: James P., July 16, 1779; Hannah, July 
19, 1781; Betsey, October 26, 1784. 

To Nathaniel and Mary Adams: Eliphel, August 18, 1786. 

To Nathaniel and Eunice Alexander: Eunice, August 28, 1782; Gaius, Octo- 
ber 14, 1784; Anna, October 14, 1786. 

To Samuel and Rebecca Allis: Lemuel, July 9, 1784. 

To Archelus and Sarah Anderson: Susannah, February 8, 1770; Sarah, 
November 5, 1771; Lucretia, November 29, 1773; John, October 19, 1777. 

To Daniel Barnard and wife: Samuel, February 3, 1786; Sophia, October 
2, 1789. 

To the Rev. Aaron and Theodosia Bascom: James, April 16, 1773; Samuel 
Ashley, February 10, 1780; Theodosia, September 11, 1781; Aaron, April 19, 



146 ^ A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

1783; John, December 23, 1784; Fanny, November 8, 1786; Charlotte, March 
18, 1789. 

To Aaron and Mary Bell: Mary, February 27, 1774, born at Weston; Aaron, 
December 29, 1775; John Cheney, January 2, 1777; James, June 17, 1780; 
John Cheney, 2d, May 20, 1783. 

To William and Margaret Bell: Mary, March 1, 1772; Justus, February 2, 
1774; Simpson, March 19, 1779. 

To John and Persa Bigelow: Polly, December 23, 1788. 

To Elijah and Mary Blackman: William, February 4, 1787; John Hall, 
March 22, 1784. 

To John and Elizabeth Blair: Molly, June 7, 1771; Solomon, January 30, 
1773; James, August 10, 1774; Anna, April 5. 1776; John, February 4, 1778; 
Sally, October 15, 1779; Betsey, October 15, 1782; James, June 22, 1784. 

To Matthew and Sarah Campbell: Mary Wallis, February 27, 1774, born at 
East Windsor; Cephas, April 19, 1776; Ira, March 4, 1778; Ethan, April 26, 
1780; Alvin, November 22, 1782; Sally, January 25, 1785; James Marr, April 13, 
1788. 

To William and Marah Campbell: Polly and Stella, April 7, 1768; Jane, 
June 24, 1770; Lucinda, , 1772; Billy Young, November 1, 1775. 

To John and Sarah Carlile: Sophia, March 10, 1781; Francis, March, 9, 1784. 

To James and Dolla Carlile: Eben Smith, February 19, 1789. 

To William and Levonia Carlile: Joel, March 31, 1790. 

To Eliakim and Pamelia Clapp: Pamelia, April 11, 1787; Rachel, December 
8, 1788; Eliakim, August 1, 1790. 

To James and Sarah Clark: John Scott, April 1, 1762; Royal, November 

21, 1763; Tilas, June 28, 1766; James and David, April 25, 1768; Orin, March 
24, 1773; Royal, December 17, 1782. 

To James and Ruth Clark: Ruth, July 17, 1769. 

To Timothy and Rebecca Cooley: Margaret, April 21, 1788; Chester, March 
28, 1790. 

To Robert and Mary Crawford: John, September 8, 1783; Russell, April 11, 
1786; Polly, February 14, 1788. 

To James and Phebe Crow: Isabel, June 6, 1779; Hulda, March 21, 1782. 

To John and Anna Crow: Jean, February 23, 1767; John, 3d, July 13, 1769. 

To Joshua and Molley Draper: Bethenel, August 27, 1774; Lucy, January 

22, 1776; Hazar Enan, September 6, 1777; Rufus, January 22, 1779; Abijah, 
September 3, 1781; Sylvester, May 14, 1783. 

To Thomas and Margaret Elder: Thomas, June 12, 1774; Samuel, March 
5, 1776; Kata, April 9, 1778; James, January 30, 1780; Charlotte, January 27, 
1782; John, March 9, 1784; Artemas, October 14, 1785. 

To Thomas and Nabby Elder: Laura, July 27, 1789. 

To William and Sarah Elder: Samuel, March 9, 1785; Norrid, May 22, 1787; 
William, May 5, 1789. 

To Samuel and Stella Ellis: John, June 9, 1763; Samuel, February 11, 1765; 
Margaret, January 4, 1767; Noah, June 14, 1769; Sally, April 26, 1771; Eben- 
ezer, November 23, 1773; Sally, April 5, 1777. 



A HISTORY OF 3IURRAYFIELD. 147 

To James and Thankful Fairman: Frederick, May 15, 1770; Amaza, Novem- 
ber 3, 1771. 

To Thaddeus and Abigail Ferry: Abigail, July 30, 1788. 

To Solomon and Rhoda Ferry: Orra, July 6, 1788. 

To Gershom and Editba Flagg: Mary, February 4, 1783; Ebenezer, June 
14, 1785; Edith, July 17, 1786. 

To Thomas and Nancy Flint: Esquire, April 3, 1784; Lucy, December 18, 
1785. 

To Nathan and Rebecca Fobes: Jabez, September 27, 1784; Sally, July 1, 
1786; Justin, October 20, 1788. 

To William and Ruth Foot: Eunice, November 8, 1778; Ruth, November 
26, 1780; Asa W., August 4, 1786. 

To Jacob and Elizabeth Fowle: Betsey, December 13, 1780; Nancy, Septem- 
ber 5, 1782; Polly, February 27, 1784. 

To Silas and Mary Freeman: Brewster, March 27, 1765, born at Preston, 
Conn.; Freeman, March 29, 1767, born at Preston, Conn.; Edmon, August 5, 
1769, born at Preston, Conn.; Joseph, September 8, 1771, born at Preston, 
Conn.; Benjamin "White, March 1, 1773, born at Canterbury, Conn.; Charles, 
December 10, 1775, born at Preston, Conn.; Nathaniel, May 25, 1778; Samuel 
Dweller, February 12, 1780; Sylvanus, February 14, 1783. 

To Samuel and Susannah French: Azael, May 12, 1778. 

To Alexander and Martha Gordon: John, May 6, 1769. 

To Samuel and Olive Gould: Patty, February 19, 1777; Molly, September 
15, 1779. 

To Lewis and Tersa Hancock: Polly, June 18, 1788. 

To Malcom and Dolly Henry: Mary, July 5, 1763; Isabel, April 12, 1765; 

Susanna, January 20, 1767; Andrew, March 16, 1769; Dolly, September 23, 
1771. 

To Oliver and Elizabeth Hitchcock: Levi, October 9, 1786. 

To Zadock and Christiana Ingall: James, June 26, 1783; Zadoek, October 
16, 1784. 

To Jesse and Sarah Johnson: Eunice, January 23, 1769; Roxana, July 28, 
1770; Isaac, March 10, 1772; Sybil, December 30, 1773; Mabel, November 3, 
1775; Roxana, July 14, 1777; Daniel, March 22, 1779; Louis, October 30, 1780; 
Lucy, May 18, 1785. 

To John and Hannah Jones: Arba, April 24, 1775; Cynthia, April 3, 1778; 
Hannah, February 10, 1781. 

To John and Anna Kirtland: Mary, December 14, 1770. 

To Samuel and Betty Knight: Samuel, February 11, 1771. 

To John and Sarah Laccore: Sally, February 18, 1774; Cynthia, August 16, 
1775; Roxana, September 15, 1777; Phebe, September 15, 1780; John, April 8, 
1783; Anna, November 21, 1785; Ranseler, April 8, 1788. 

To Lemuel and Edith Laccore: Edith, March 23, 1771; Lemuel, November 
8, 1772; Margaret, August 31, 1775; John, October 9, 1777. 

To Stephen and Anna Lyman: Crispus, March 27, 1773; Gains, July 15, 



148 A HI8T0RY OF MVRRAYFIELD. 

1774; Clarissa, October 10, 1776; Noah, October 3, 1778; Burnham, April 32, 
1780; Chester, March 23, 1782; Stephen, July 35, 1783. 

To Timothy and Dorothy Lyman: Susanna, November 6, 1770; Achsa, 
February 37, 1774; Theodosia, November 16, 1775; Dorothy, April 34, 1780; 
Timothy, August 30, 1783; Asael, April 3, 1785. 

To Nathan and Jane Mann: Sarah, November 13, 1764; Nathan, October 
19, 1766; Prudence, June 11, 1769. 

To Gideon and Esther Matthews: Esther, October 5, 1763; Gideon, May 
30, 1766; Lucy, September 14, 1768; Lucy, April 18, 1771; Benjamin, May 19, 
1776; Nathaniel Eggleston, October 10, 1780; Osee, March 14, 1784. 

To Reuben and Adah Matthews: Hannah, October 19, 1769. 

To John and Anna Mclntire: Oliver, March 3, 1763, born at Pelham; 
Roxana, July 25, 1765; Deidamia, February 10, 1766; Salva, August 3, 1768; 
John, August 16, 1770; Levi, June 3, 1773. 

To Isaac, Jr., and Zerina Mixer: Elizabeth, April 0, 1768. 

To Ebenezer and Rachel Meacham : Jeremiah, October 14, 1760, born at 
Enfield, Ct.; Mary, May 28, 1764; Enoch, July 5, 1766; Stephen, November 30, 
1767; Luther, May 7, 1770; Hannah, May 3, 1773. 

To James and Molly Moore: DoUey, March 38, 1783; James, November 19, 
1784; Polly, August 36, 1786; John, June 19, 1788. 

To John and Elizabeth Moore: Lucy, November 3, 1780; Levi, June 15, 
1783; Elizabeth, September 1, 1786. 

To John, Jr., and Elizabeth Moore: John, April 16, 1786. 

To Samuel and Elizabeth Moore: John, January 17, 1780; Asa, Decem- 
ber 10, 1781; Theodosia, March 7, 1784; Betsey, March 31, 1786; Clara, Sep- 
tember 35, 1789. 

To Robert and Dolly Moore: Artemus, March 13, 1786; Ezra, May 3, 1787; 
Sarah, February 25, 1789. 

To David and Eunice Palmer: Eunice, December 24, 1770. 

To John David and Abigail Palmer: Ocren, November 18, 1770; David, 
September 13, 1788, 

To John Newton and Hannah Parmenter: Arthusa, February 18, 1778; 
Melinda, August 23, 1779; John, March 18, 1781; Azel, November 15, 1784; 
Jonas, July 29, 1787. 

To Amasa and Martha Pomeroy: Roxa, June 11, 1780; Abigail, February 
23, 1782; Martha, March 12, 1784; Nice, April 20, 1786; Asa, April 7, 1788. 

To Luther and Rhoda Pomeroy: Nancy, September 8, 1786; Rhoda, Sep- 
tember 39, 1787, born at Northampton; Sally, November 10, 1788; Luther, 
October 31, 1790. 

To Robert and Ruth Proctor: Jonathan, October 1, 1765; Betsey, June 36, 
1768; Robert, January 10, 1771; Elijah, August 29, 1773; Molly, September 16, 
1775; Jeremiah, October 14, 1777; Ruth, March 6, 1780. 

To William and Elizabeth Prior: Elizabeth, June 5, 1783; Daniel, February 
15,1785; Ziphar, February 19, 1787. 

To Israel and Eunice Rose: Joseph, June 1, 1760, born at Granville; Olive, 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 149 

October 20, 1762; Israel, December 7, 1764; Eunice, May 8, 1767; Benjamin, 
September 5, 1770. 

To Nathan and Sarah Rose: Roxana, May 2, 1768; Nathaniel, April 6, 1770. 

To Zebulon and Olive Rose: Sabay, August 10, 1769; Anna, October 10, 1770. 

To Gershom and Mary Rust: Polly, September 9, 1772; Patty, March 12, 
1776; Oooley, February 28, 1778; Joseph Ashley, April 27, 1779. 

To Justin and Margaret Rust:' Dolly, September 17, 1788. 

To Sylvanus and Charlotte Sanderson: Calvin, February 23, 1787. 

To David and Mary Scott: William, October 22, 1764; James, July 19, 1767; 
Mary, May 6, 1770. 

To Noadiah and Sarah Seaward: Jesse, April 26, 1784; Calvin, October 5, 
1786; Cathrine, December 26, 1788. 

To David and Lucinda Shepard: Martha, March 19, 1774; David, June 8, 
1777; Lucinda, June 12, 1783; Harriet, May 17, 1785; Fanny, May 20, 1787; 
Horace, February 5, 1789. 

To Daniel and Kezia Smith: Anna, September 3, 1780; Phineas, February 
10, 1782. 

To John and Abigail Smith: Eunice, March 2, 1765; Abigail, August 6, 1767. 

To John and Lydia Smith: Caleb, August 27, 1783; Patta, July 28, 1784; 
Lydia, March 17, 1786; Russell, October 20, 1788. 

To Daniel and Pruda Smith: Parmelia, August 8, 1787. 

To Ebenezer and Nice Smith: Bernice, May 23, 1785. 

To Joab and Elizabeth Smith: Ira, October 17, 1784. 

To Thomas and Submit Smith: Timothy, May 25, 1762, born at Walling- 
ford, Ct.; Eben Blakely, September 10, 1763, born at Wallingford, Ct.; Dol- 
lither, November 29, 1765; Esther, September 6, 1767. 

To Ezekiel and Phebe Snow: Damaris, April 19, 1768; Oriandatus, July 26, 
1770; Ezerias, April 13, 1772; Hezekiah, February 4, 1774. 

To Daniel and Jane Stone: Mary, February 14, 1781 ; Susa, October 22, 1783; 
Nathaniel, December 17, 1785. 

To William and Hetty Stone: Harvey, March 13, 1783; Sally, November 
29, 1786; Sophia, September 1, 1788. 

To Ebenezer and Content Stowe: Ebenezer, September 6, 1777; Lydia, De- 
cember 17, 1778; Esther, June 19, 1780; Cephus, March 10, 1782. 

To William and Lois Tanner: William, April 23, 1786. 

To Jonathan and Margaret Wait: Samuel, March 26, 1779. 

To Jonathan and Mary Wait: Lucy, May 5, 1781. 

To James and Achsa Warner: James, September 19, 1787; Henry, May 
10, 1789. 

To Ebenezer and Keziah Webber: John, April 13, 1870. 

To Ebenezer and Renia Webber: Liddah, April 23, 1768. 

To Jonathan Hart and Keziah Webber: Pela Hart, January 15, 1773; Clarica, 
April 24, 1775; Molly, August 30, 1777; Keziah, September 3, 1779. 

To Peter and Sarah Williams: Eunice, February 3, 1768; Elisha, June 
24, 1770. 



150 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

To Phineas and Molly Wheeler: Betsey, April 11, 1784. 

To Abner Witt and wife: Polly, February 10, 1788. 

To William Witt and wife: William, October 9, 1783. 

To Edward and Cloe Wright: Edward, June 8, 1775; Cloe, April, 1777; 
John, April 5, 1779. 

To Joshua and Triphena Wright: Joshua, October 15, 1771. 

To Joseph and Elizabeth Wright: Joseph, January 16, 1787; Daniel, Feb- 
ruary IS, 1789. 

To Nathan atfd Mary Wright: Polly, April 8, 1784; Nathan, August 36, 
1786; Sibil, October 16, 1788. 

To Henry and Sabbahis Vadekin: Henry, September 10, 1783; Philip, May 
25, 1786. 

Markiaqes. 

Very few entries of actual marriages appear upon the town records 
of Murrayfield. They were kept no doubt by the clergymen who per- 
formed the service, and possibly many appear upou the church records. 
The intentions of marriage were required to be published three times 
" at some public lecture or town meeting, in both the towns where the 
parties or either of them do ordinarily reside, or be set up in writing 
upon some post of their meeting house door in public view, there to 
stand so as it may easily be read, by the space of fourteen days." The 
parties to the marriage were required to produce to the minister or 
the magistrate performing the service, a "certificate of such publish- 
ment under the hand of the town clerk or constable of such towns 
respectively." A record of intentions of marriage was required to 
be kept by town clerks. The statute also required that " all mar- 
riages shall be registered by the town clerk of the same town where 
they are consummated." The absence of records of marriage of Mur- 
rayfield men may be explained by the assumption that many of them 
married women residing in adjoining or in distant towns, so that only 
their intentions of marriage would appear. 

Below is a list of intentions of marriage that appear in the first 
record book of the town, arranged in alphabetical order, and with them 
the marriages, so far as they appear of record, between the following 
named persons: 

January 13, 1783: Abiel Abbott and Sarah Mann. They were married Jan- 
uary 23. 
March 19, 1781: Ebenezer Abbott and Anna Wright. Married December 

31, 1781. 
May 18, 1784: Isaac Averet and Bethiah Fuller of Norwich. 
January 8, 1771: Samuel Buck of Chesterfield and Susanna Palmer of Mur- 
rayfield. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 151 

January 8, 1772: John Barnard of Westfield and Deliverence Holaday of Mur- 
rayfleld. They were married January 16. 

June 15, 1780: Samuel Bell and Elizabeth Campbell. 

October 13, 1780: Roswell Benjamin of Norwich and Thankful Cooley of 
Murrayfield. 

January 16, 1773: Patrick Bujkley and Anna Williams. 

April 24, 1773: Samuel Boyes, Jr., of Blandford and Elizabeth Black of 
Murrayfield. 

April 29, 1774: George Black and Anna Boyes of Blandford. 

December 25, 1790: Daniel Bigelow and Mercy Wood. They were married 
January 27, 1791. 

April 3, 1791: Elijah Bacon of Whitestown, N. Y., and Lucy Sizer of Chester. 

September 30, 1787: John Bigelow and Persa Wright. They were married 
November 29, 1787. 

May 10, 1778: James Campbell and Lorena Smith. 

January 27, 1783: James Campbell of Blandford and Isabel Elder of Mur- 
rayfield. Married December 18, 1783. 

January 25, 1T89: Matthew Campbell and Isabel Lindsey of Blandford. 

January 9, 1790: Matthew Campbell and Sarah Bell of Oakham. 

December, 1786: Joseph Campbell and Jemima Moore. They were married 
November 6, 1787. 

June 24, 1780: John Carlile and Sarah Smith. 

July 13, 1788: James Carlile and Dorothy Smith. 

May 7, 1789: William Carlile and Lovina Cooley. They were married May 28 

September 28, 1782: John Clark and Sela Anderson of Chesterfield. 

April 19, 1789: Joseph Clapp of Easthampton and Susanna Lyman of Ches- 
ter. They were married May 28, 1789. 

October 19, 1788: Daniel Collins and Anna Williams of Worthington. 

July 29, 1787: Timothy Cooley and Kebecca Smith. They were married Sep- 
tember 12. 

December 6, 1770: David Crow and Hulda Button. 

March 4, 1771: Timothy Culver and Margaret Williams. 

November 20, 1770: Ebenezer Dowd and Sarah Dunn. 

October 20, 1781: Isaac Dowd and Elanor Osborn of Lower Salem. 

October 28, 1787: Abraham Drake of Worthington and Susanna Hamilton of 
Chester. Married December 24. 

November 4, 1789: Vester Edwards of Northampton and widow Polly Smith 
of Chester. 

February 19, 1774: Samuel Eggleston and Mary Taylor. 

October 9, 1774: Benjamin Eggleston and Mary Gordon. 

November 16, 1772: Thomas Elder and Margaret Moore. 

March 8, 1784: William Elder and Sarali Campbell. 

March 2, 1788: Thomas Elder and Nabby Fellows. Married April 17. 

September 26, 1778: John Elder and Sarah Moore of Rutland. 

March 13, 1791: Samuel Ellis and widow Dolly Tracy. 



152 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

IJL&Y 31, 1779: Deodatus Ensign of Westfleld and Abigail Wool worth of Mur- 
rayfield. Married February 9, 1780. 

November 25, 1773: Samuel Fairman of Norwich and Joanna Williams of 
Murrayfield. 

August 10, 1786: Ozias French and Elizabeth Dayton of Blandford. They 
were married August 24. 

January 17, 1790: Jabez French and Sarah Johnson: Married April 1, 1790. 

September 29, 1771: Joseph Geer of Worthington and Lydia Bell of Chester. 

July 13, 1777: Allyn Geer and Perimelia Daniels of Worthington. 

July 13, 1783: David Gleason and Sarah Gleason. 

June 21, 1784: John Grims of Chatham and Esther Shepard. 

August 28, 1790: Luther Granger and widow Ruth Goodwill. 

September 18, 1790: Nathan Goodwill and Lucy Fairbanks of Mendham. 

March 31, 1791: Nathaniel Goodwill and Molly Bell. 

December 8, 1781: Aaron Hale and Martha Loomis. 

February 10, 1788: Samuel Hamilton of Chesterfield and Susanna Hamilton 
of Chester. Married March 6. 

January 25, 1789: John Hamilton and Sarah Fleming of Palmer. 

May 25, 1772: John Haskel and Debora Meacham. 

January 8, 1771: Jonas Henry of Murrayfield and Margaret Henry of Bland- 
ford. 

October 6, 1780: Andrew Henry and Jael Elder. . 

March 3, 1783: Joseph Henry and Lydia Kelso. Married March 10. 

April 9, 1781 : Solomon Hingham of Becket and Molly Wright of Murrayfield. 

January 23, 1791: William Holland and Polly Moore. 

October 12, 1780: Samuel Hulbert of Kent, Conn., and Lucy Smith of Mur- 
rayfield. 

Oc'ober 1, 1780: Zebulon Isham and Rose Ellis of Hebron, Conn, 

August 7, 1790: Selathial Judd and Irena Day. 

November 16, 1772: Daniel Kirtland and Theodosia Mixer. 

May 3, 1779: Jethro Kenney and Ruth Jackson of Spencer. 

March 22, 1784: Phineas King of Southampton and Lola Smith of Chester. 

October 15, 1773: John Laccore and Sarah Smith. 

August 9, 1778: Capt. Daniel Lamb -of Springfield and widow Martha Jones 
of Murrayfield. 

November 15, 1777: Noah Leonard of West Springfield and Lydia Taylor of 
Murrayfield. 

August 25, 1770: Stephen Lyman and Anna Blair of Weston. 

July 3, 1786: Deac. Stephen Lyman and widow Hannah Clark of South- 
ampton. 

April 4, 1790: Lucas Matthews and Polly Brooks. 

December 14, 1786: Ebenezer Nathan Messenger of Becket and Sally Camp- 
bell of Chester. Married December 14. 

July 25, 1778: William Mclntire and Roxana Campbell. 

July 8, 1787: Oliver Millard and Zillar Lee. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 158 

January 30, 1791 : Oliver Miller and Cynthia Black. 
August 20, 1773: Samuel Moore of Rutland and Elizabeth Elder. 
July 25, 1781: James Moore and Mary Henry of Becket. 
December 28, 1787: Robert Moore and Dorothy Abbott. 
July 7, 1771: Moses Moss of Preston and Anna Mixer. 

December 14,1786: Benjamin Mussey and Elizabeth Ingall, Married Janu- 
ary 4, 1787. 
July 20, 1777: Reuben Parks of Westfield and Betty Clark. 
March 7, 1790: Tabor Pelton of Middlefield and Anna Moore. 
December 7, 1782: "William Prior aud Elizabeth Ellis. 

September SO, 1789: Heman Prior and Mitte Sanderson. Married October 15. 
March 15, 1789: Hugh Quigley and Molly Mulhollan. Married July 12, 1789. 
November 24, 1781: William Russell and Penelope Northrop. 
January 24, 1790: Gershom Rust and Sally Matthews. Married April 1, 1790. 
April 22, 1787: Justin Rust and Margaret Shepard. Married August 81, 1787. 
July 25, 1785: Tyrol Sanderson of West Springfield and Elizabeth Smith of 

Chester. 
October 7, 1787: William Scott of Norwich and Lovisa Miller. 
July 1, 1787: Job Searle of Southampton and Esther Matthews. Married 

July 2. 
October 2, 1786: Noadiah Seward, Jr., and Diadema Mclntire. Married 

October 2. 
December 25, 1772: Dr. David Shepard and Lucinda Mather. Married 

January 7, 1773. 
March 13, 1791: Asa Slayton and widow Sarah Anderson. 
November 10, 1767: John Smith and Abilene Core were married. 
August 13, 1775: Abner Smith, Jr., and Abigail Pomeroy of Southampton. 
January 4, 1780: Daniel Smith and Keziah Pomeroy. 
April 9, 1781: John Smith and Lydia Seward. 
April 12, 1781: William Smith and Lucy Converse. 
April 3, 1784: Jacob Smith and Elizabeth Lunnon. 

November 14, 1784: Ebenezer Smith and Nice Pomeroy. Married November 25. 
April 1, 1787: Enos Smith and Lucy Bently. Married August 16. 
April 1, 1787: EbenezerSmith and Damoras Snow. Married April 19. 
March 11, 1787: Daniel Smith, 3d, and Prudence Wood. Married April 12. 
January 23, 1791: William Smith and Sally Anderson. 
January 17, 1790: John Stevenson and Nella Walker. 
November 2, 1788: Gershom Sylvester of Chesterfield and Polly Durger 

French. Married November 18. 
December 4, 1773: Ebenezer Tillotson of Farmington, Conn., and Roxana 

Laccore. 
November 9, 1788: Samuel Augustus Thorp and Polly Hamilton. 
December 30, 1771: Daniel Twadwell and Martha Crow. Married January 9, 

1772. 
January 26, 1784: Daniel Twadwell and Abigail Tracy. 



154 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELB. 

May 3, 1778: Jonathan Wait, Jr., and Margaret Smith, 

July 24, 1774: John Ward and Susanna Beard of Hartwood. 

December 22, 1771: Jonathan Hart Webber and Keziah Cooleyof Springfield, 

November 17, 1781: Jude White and Koxa Loomis of Southampton. 

May 29, 1784: John Williams and Relief Abbott. 

April 26, 1784: Eli Woolworth and Sally Olds. 

July 26, 1786: Samuel Woolworth and Bersheba Grossman. 

May 25, 1772: Edward Wright, Jr., and Cloe Pomeroy. 

July 14, 1776: Bezeliel Wright and Sara»h Whitney of Waltham. 

May 20, 1786: Joseph Wright and Elizabeth Parmenter. 

Dea-THs. 

I am certain that the records of the town of Murrayfield fail to show 
all the births or all the marriages; and I feel certain that they do not 
show all the deaths in the town during the period of time covered by 
the records. It is probable that some deaths of inhabitants of the 
town occurred outside of the town and were not for that reason 
recorded. I give below a list of deaths so far as they appear in the 
records, and the date of their occurrence. 

Joseph Abbott, January 30, 1770. 

Phebe, daughter of John and Louise Abbott, June 22, 1779. 

John Cheney Bell, son of Aaron and Mary, May 10, 1781. 

James Blackman, October 31, 1787. 

William Campbell, January 19, 1782. 

Sarah Campbell, wife of Matthew, May 6, 1788. 

Margaret Elder, wife of Thomas, October 20, 1785. 

Ebenezer Flagg, son of Gershom and Edith, July 7, 1785. 

Lucy French, April 29, 1781. 

Eunice, daughter of Samuel and Susanna French, October 2, 1776. 

Susa, daughter of Samuel and Susanna French, September 26, 1776. 

Aaron, son of James and Mary Holland, age 7 years, November 16, 1777. 

Roxana, daughter of Jesse and Sarah Johnson, September 27, 1776. 

Mabel, daughter of Jesse and Sarah Johnson, October 1, 1776. 

Nathan Mann, December 21, 1770. 

John, son of Samuel and Elizabeth Moore, September 12, 1780. 

an adopted son of Samuel Matthews, March 29, 1777. 

Nice Pomeroy, May 27, 1787. 

Patty, daughter of Gershom and Mary Rust, December 29, 1789, age 14 years. 

Russell, son of Gershom and Mary Rust, March 26, 1776. 

Abigail, wife of John Smith, August 12, 1767, aged 37 years. 

David Smith, aged 78 years, January 6, 1771. 

Patty Smith, daughter of John and Lydia Smith, May, 1785. 

Nice, wife of Ebenezer Smith, January 2, 1785. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 155 

Bernice, son of Ebenezerand Nice Smith, January 9, 1785. 

Ezekiel Snow, January 28, 1776. 

Triphena, daughter of Edward and Triphena Wright, October 8, 1775. 

John, son of Edward and Triphena Wright, October 11, 1775. 

Jonathan, son of Edward and Triphena Wright, September 17, 1776. 

Pela Hart, son of Jonathan Eart and Keziah Webber, November 8, 1775. 

Olive Witt, wife of William Witt, January 3, 1789. 

Highways. 

The surveys of the highways approved at the March town meeting 
in 17G9, being of interest in several respects are given in full: " Worth- 
ington road through Murrayfield to Westtield, beginning at Worthing- 
ton south line at a hemlock tree marked on east side of the highway, 
S. 5 deg. E. 20 rods, S. 8 deg. E. 38 rods, S. 5 deg. E. 29 rods, S. 15 deg. 
E. 53 rods, E. 22 deg. S. 90 rdds, E. 41 deg. S. 20 rods, S. 15 deg. E. 90 
rods, S. 30 deg. E. 40 rods, S. 25 deg. E. 12 rods, S. 45 deg. E. 24 rods, 
S. 20 deg. E. 100 rods, S. 90 deg. E. 60 rods, S. 20 deg. E. 90 rods, 
E. 30 deg. S. 90 rods, S. 16 deg. E. 90 rods, two miles from Worthing- 
ton; S. 16 deg. E. 100 rods, S. 7 deg. W. lOOyVcr rods, S. 11 deg. E. 
180 rods, S. 4 deg. W. 20 rods, S. 28 deg. W. 60 rods, S. 20 deg. W. 
100 rods, S. 15 deg. W. 9 rods, S. 5 deg. W. 36 rods, S. 31 deg. W. 90 
rods, S. 31 deg. W. 00 rods to a small beech tree on a ridge marked 4 
miles from Worthington; then same course 7 rods to a small beech tree 
near the Middle Branch east side of the branch, then southeasterly by 
the east bank by Mr. Wait's mill by said east bank to the road that crosses 
the ford way westerly of Mr. Timothy Smith's one mile and 50 rods by 
said branch, thenE. 10 deg. S. by Mr. Smith's house 30 rods, S. 31 deg. 
E. 8 rods, S. 5 deg. E. 68 rods; thence southerly to a hemlock tree near 
bank of said branch, thence by said branch to the f ordway a little west of 
Mr. Taggart's; thence S. 21 deg. E. by Mr. Rose's house, S. 38 deg. E. by 
Mr. Scott's land on the ridge against Mr. Fobes', E. 29 deg. S. across the 
river by Mr. Fobes'; thence east side of the river on the bank by Mr. 
Mixer's 70 rods, S. 15 deg. E. 132 rods, S. 4 deg. E. 32 rods, E. 30 deg. 
S. 26 rods, E. 35 deg. S. 20 rods, E. 30 deg. S. 6 rods, S. 19 deg. E. 
39 rods, S. 36 deg. E. 90 rods, S. 25 deg. E. 98 rods, S. 45 deg. W. 
32 rods, S. 18 deg. W. 16 rods, E. 27 deg. S. 99 rods, S. 14 deg. W. 
19 rods, S. 20 deg. E. 26 rods, S. 25 deg. E. 36 rods, E. 40 deg. S. 46 
rods, E. 45 deg. N. 20 rods, E. 22 deg. N. 42 rods, S. 25 deg. E. 8 
rods, E. 34 deg. N. 46 rods by Mr. King's house, E. 10 deg. S. 58 
rods, E. 33 deg. S. 16 rods, S. 38 deg. E. 64 rods, S. 44 deg. E. 40 rods, 
S. 33 deg. E. 120 rods, S. 45 deg. E. 100 rods, E. 45 deg. S. 30 rods. 



156 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

S. 5 deg. E. 50 rods, S. 5 deg. W. 40 rods, S. 20 deg. E. 28 rods, S. 
37 deg. E. 32 rods, E. 12 deg. S. 26 rods, E. 45 deg. S. 54 rods, S. 17 
deg. E. 40 rods, S. 30 deg. E. 40 rods, E. 21 deg. S. 30 rods, E. 30 
deg. S. 18 rods to Hampton line on Westfield mountain from Worth- 
ington line through Murrayfield eleven miles and one hundred and 
seventy-six rods to trees marked on the east side of the highway." The 
present highway from Norwich Bridge in Huntington to AVestfield 
through Montgomery past the meeting-house is a part of the same, 
highway. 

Another is as follows: '' Koad to the meeting house from the ford- 
way west of Mr. Timothy Smith's by Mr. Ebenezer Webber's thence 
northerly as the river runs west side of the branch 110 rods, W. 16 deg. 
N. 8 rods, N. 30 deg. W. 80 rods, N. 10 deg. W. 50 rods— 2 rods south 
of Mr. Ebenezer Webber's house; thence W. 14 deg. N. 29 rods, W. 
40 deg. N". 40 rods, W. 35 deg. N. 50 rods, W. 5 deg. N. 68 rods, W. 
5 deg. S. 16 rods, N. 40 deg. W. 19 rods, W. 35 deg. S. 14 rods, W. 
55 deg. S. 8 rods, N. 40 deg. W. 16 rods, W. 25 deg. N. 100 rods, N. 
35 deg. W. 18 rods, W. 25 deg. N. 22 rods, W. 16 deg. S. 123 rods, 
from Mr. Ebenezer Webber's to the meeting house 1 mile and 286 rods." 

Another is as follows: " Beginning at a hemlook tree 8 rods north 
from the meeting house, W. 5 deg. N. 20 rods, W. 31 deg. S. 198 rods, 
S. 25 deg. W. 8 rods, W. 16 rods, W. 10 deg. S. 176 rods between 
Lyman and Mclntire's; thence N. 30 deg. W. 90 rods, N. 15 deg. W. 
66 rods, N. 31 deg. W. 119 rods, W. 38 deg. N. 39 rods, N. 20 deg. 
W. 60 rods, AV. 21 deg. N. 20 rods, W. 15 deg. N. 20 rods, W. 42 deg. 
N. — rods, N. 41 deg. W. 26 rods, N. 10 deg. W. 64 rods, N. 25 deg. 
W. 30 rods, W. 45 deg. N. 90 rods, N. 3 deg. W. 20 rods, N. 13 deg. E. 
30 rods, N. 10 deg. AV. 89 rods, to Mr. James Brown's from the meet- 
ing house 2 miles and 270 rods. Trees marked on the southwesterly 
side of the road, laid four rods wide." 

Also: "From Mr. James Black's to the above-laid road: Begin- 
ning at the west end of Mr. Black's house, N. 8 deg. E. 90 rods, N. 
10 deg. E. 100 rods, N. 30 deg. E. 100 rods, N. 8 deg. E. 60 rods, N. 

19 deg. E. 30 rods, N. 30 deg. E. 70 rods, N. 35 deg. AV. 90 rods, 
N. 45 deg. E. 40 rods, E. 19 deg. S. 20 rods, E. 23 deg. N. 19 rods, 
E. 18 deg. S. 26 rods to road north of Mann's." 

Another: "From Mr. Gordon's by Mr. Laccore's to the meeting 
house: Beginning a little east of Mr. Gordon's house, N. 22 deg. E. 

20 rods, S. 45 deg. E. 156 rods, to the road from David Blair's; from 
Blair's S. 5 deg. W. 32 rods, S. 23 deg. W. 28 rods, S. 10 deg. W. 520 
rods, S. 35 deg. E. 40 rods, S. 30 deg. E. 100 rods, S. 40 deg. E. 8 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 157 

rods, S. 10 deg. E. 20 rods; to the meetiug house from Gordon's 3 
miles and 16 rods." 

Another: " From William Campbell's by Matthew and Abner 
Smith's to the meeting house: Beginning east side of Mr. Campbell's 
house, S. 5 deg.W. 20 rods, S. 10 deg. E. 40 rods, S. 20 deg. W. 20 
rods, S. 3 deg. W. 20 rods^ S. 21 deg. E. 40 rods, S. 20 deg. E. 160 
rods, S. 19 deg. W. 76 rods, S. 15 deg. W. 60 rods, S. 5 deg. W. to 
Laccore's road; to the meeting house 1 mile and 316 rods. Trees 
marked on east side of road." 

Another: " From meeting house by Henry's to the fordway against 
Fobes': Beginning on Webber's road from the meeting house 90 rods, 
then S. 30 deg. E. 30 rods, S. 15 deg. E. 40 rods, S. 30 deg. E. 90 
rods, S. 12 deg. E. 35 rods, S. 40 deg. E. 25 rods, E. 35 deg. S. 27 
rods, S. 10 deg. E. 1 mile and 31 rods, E. 14 deg. S. 46 rods, E. 45 
deg. N. 14 rods to a little hemlock tree, thence E. 36 deg. N. 4 rods, 
S. 45 deg. E. 22 rods, E. 32 deg. S. 14 rods, S. 41 deg. E. 30 rods, 
22 deg. S. 44 rods, S. 44 rods, S. 20 deg. E. 23 rods, S. 18 deg. E. 60 
rods, E. 38 deg. S. 16 rods, S. 2 deg. W. 22 rods, S. 25 deg. E. 42 
rods, E. 6 deg. S. 16 rods, E. 41 deg. S. 10 rods, S. 20 deg. E. 42 rods. 
E. 35 deg. S. 14 rods, S. 16 deg. E. 10 rods, S. 34 deg. E. 22 rods, E, 
5 deg. N. 24 rods, S. 13 deg. W. 30 rods, E. 14 rods, E. 2 deg. S. 40 
rods, E. 140 rods, N. 23 deg. E. 14 rods, N. 21 deg. W. 26 rods, 
thence northerly by Mr. Scott's to the road from Worthington against 
Mr. Fobes' 4 miles and 288 rods. Trees marked on the east side 
of road." 

This is the road from Chester Center by the Brunley place to Nor- 
wich Bridge. 

Another: " Beginning at Worthington road above Mr. Wait's mill 
east side of the [middle] ' Branch, N. 30 deg. W. 50 rods, W. 40 deg. 
N. 50 rods, N. 15 deg. W. 40 rods, then across the Branch W. 35 deg. 
N. 4 rods, then north on the west bank of the Branch 160 rods, N. 19 
deg. W. 20 rods, W. 30 deg. N. 25 rods, W. 5 deg. N. 35 rods, W. 27 
deg. N. 23 rods, W. 25 deg. S. 40 rods, W. 20 deg. N. 20 rods, N. 14 
deg. W. 30 rods, W. 30 deg. N. 160 rods, S. 30 deg. W. 20 rods, W. 
10 deg. S. 40 rods, W. 20 deg. S. 70 rods to Abner Smith's house 2 
miles and 130 rods from Worthington road. Trees marked oq westerly 
side of road." 

Another: " Beginning at a chestnut stump a little east of Peter 
Williams' house, S. 24 deg. W. 52 rods to the bank of the brook, 
thence on said bank to the river;* on the bank of said river 140 rods, 

* West Branch. 



158 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFI ELD. 

S. 43 deg. W. 60 rods, W. 15 deg. S. 28 rods, W. 8 deg. N. 4 rods, W. 
38 deg. S. 38 rods to Blandford line to John Bolton's 323 rods; then 
W. 30 deg. N. 70 rods, W. 13 deg. N. 36 rods to east bank of the 
West Branch; on said Branch northerly 138 rods to Blandford line. 
Beginning at Blandford line on said bank 132 rods, N. 11 deg. W. 40 
rods, W. 13 deg. N. 34 rods, W. 30 deg. N. 30 rods, W. 45 deg. N. 180 
rods, N. 40 deg. W. 20 rods to the bank of said Branch 60 rods to a 
beech tree marked facing the river from Blandford line to the bank of 
the Branch, N. 30 deg, E. 15 rods, W. 35 deg. N. to the fordway 
above David Bolton's by said bank, then down the east bank to Mr. 
Bolton's 8 rods, N. 8 deg. W. 100 rods, N. 6 deg. W. 40 rods, N. 25 
deg. E. 24 rods, N. 6 deg. W. 16 rods, N. 10 deg. W. 141 rods, N. 5 
deg. W. 80 rods, N. 10 deg. W. 96 rods, W. 5 deg. N. 10 rods, N. 20 
deg. W. 136 rods to Col. Chandler's saw mill to his house, N. 14 deg. 
E. 32 rods, E. 45 deg. S. 14 rods, E. 23 deg. N. 14 rods, E. 31 deg. N. 
20 rods to Smith's house from the meeting house S. 28 deg. E. 50 rods, 
S. 35 deg. E. 20 rods, S. 10 deg. E. 20 rods, S. 22 deg. E. 40 rods, S. 
10 deg. E. 50 rods, S. 20 deg. E. 8 rods, S. 15 deg. E. 6 rods, S. 10 
deg. W. 20 rods, S. 10 deg. E. 40 rods, E. 42 deg. S. 20 rods to 
Smith's house; then to the road from Henry's E. 40 deg. S. 20 rods, 
S. 40 deg. E. QQ> rods, E. 40 deg. S. 104 rods to the road from 
Henry's." 

Another: ''To Col. Chandler's saw mill from Mclntire's corner by 
Lyman'e, S. 2 deg. W. 60 rods, S. 34 deg. E. 26 rods, S. 24 deg. E. 
76 rods, E. 10 deg. S. 20 rods, E. 35 deg. S. 68 rods, E. 18 deg. S. 30 
rods, S. 40 deg. E. 40 rods, S. 16 deg. E. 20 rods, S. 4 deg. E. 30 rods, 
S. 45 deg. E. 10 rods, S. 15 deg. E. 24 rods, E. 26 deg. S. 18 rods, S. 
40 deg. E. 18 rods, S. 25 deg. E. 28 rods, E. 10 deg. S. 12 rods, N". 24 
deg. E. 20 rods to the saw mill." 

Also: " Beginning at Chesterfield line at the highway, then south- 
easterly and westerly to the mouth of the East Branch, S. 45 deg. W. 
across the river, thence southerly on the west bank of the river 206 
rods, W. 24 deg. S. 20 rods, S. 15 deg. W. 42 rods, S. 2 deg. W. 20 
rods, S. 33 deg. W. 12 rods, S. 35 deg. E. 16 rods to bank of the river, 
on the bank 100 rods, S. 22 deg. W. 26 rods, S, 18 deg. E. 34 rods, S. 
30 deg. E. 34 rods, S. 4deg. E. 26 rods, S. 10 deg. E. 28 rods, S. 2 deg. 
W. 52 rods, S. 26 deg. W. 12 rods, S. 20 deg. E. 8 rods to bank of the 
river, 30 rods by said bank, W. 16 deg. N. 40 rods, W. 15 deg. S. 40 
rods, W. 43 deg. S. 20 rods to Mr. Miller's house, S. 31 deg. W. 12 
rods, W. 19 deg. S. 14 rods across Miller Branch, S. 10 deg. W. 20 
rods, S. 3 deg. E. 10 rods; then southerly on the bank of the river [East 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 159 

Branch] 288 rods, AV. 12 rods, W. 14 deg. S. 40 rods, W. 27 deg. S. 
26 rods, S. 34 deg. W. 20 rods, S. 13 deg. W. 2G rods, S. 15 deg. W. 
20 rods, S. 40 deg. W. 18 rods, W. 8 deg. K 16 rods, W. 33 deg. S. 
28 rods, S. 24 deg. W. 30 rods, S. 15 deg. W. 44 rods, W. 43 deg. S. 
43 rods, W. 12 deg. S. 16 rods, W. 23 deg. S. 4 rods, S. 35 deg. W. 
70 rods, S. 45 deg. W. 60 rods, W. 8 deg. S. 20 rods, W. 39 deg. N". 
76 rods, W. 6 deg. S. 18 rods to the Middle Branch east of Mr. Eben- 
ezer Webber's 5 miles and 93 rods from Chesterfield to said Branch." 
These were the first highways laid out by the town, and it is prob- 
able that they were laid on the lines of paths already formed by travel. 
It is altogether probable that these roads were rough and difficult to 
travel, very unlike the roads of the present time. Teaming from one 
part of the town to another was done mostly by ox teams, and traveling 
was mostly on horse back. 

John Smith's Account Book. 

Below I give some specimen entries in the book of account kept by 
John Smith, one of the early settlers, and who was a member of the 
first board of selectmen chosen by the town of Murrayfield. It is in- 
teresting as a specimen of the method of keeping accounts that pre- 
vailed among these people, and as throwing light upon their ways of 
doing business, and also as giving the prices of some of the ordinary 
commodities and of labor. 

The book from which I copy was bought by John Smith in October, 

1775. One of the earliest entries is as follows: 

£ s. d. 
"November [ then Mr. Moses Clark Dets to me John Smith 

ye 30th: 1775 ) for my oxen two Days, to sled boards and logs, 2 5 
to: eating some meals of victuals, . . .009" 

" October ) then Mr. Clark Credt by the hand of Mr. Peter 

ye 28, 1779 \ Montague, 3|6 036" 

" November ) then Mr. Peter Montague Det. 

ye 3, 1778 ) to: keeping your hors one week, 

to: pastouriug your hors six Days, . 

March ye ~) to: my oxen one Day to git wood, . 

16th: A. D. 1779 ) to: an ox yoke, 

to: one pare of old shoes new mended up, 
to: keeping your oxen five Days, . * . 

October ye 28th | then Mr. peter montague Deter for Discharging 

A. D: 1779 \ Mr. Moses Clark's acoumpt on your Desire, 

17 9 






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160 



A HISTORY OF MURRATFIELD. 



May ye 2 
A. D. 1780 
Nov. ye 1 : 
ye 15. 
January ye 
22: 1781 



to: keeping your oxen a spell, . 

to: a bag of hay seed 

to: keeping your calf sixteen Days, 

to: my oxen half a Day, . 

to: my oxen and sled two Days, 



£ 


s. d. 


. 


8 


. 


& 


. 


6 


. 


» 


. 


3 6 



1 7 



to: hay seed you had of John some years ago, 



' ' February ye 
22: A. D, 1781 



13 6'" 

then reckoned with Mr. Peter Montague and 
find there is Due to me to ballance acoumpts 
by Book the old way as we say, . . .0711 

Peter Montague, 
John Smith." 
Another one; the year not given. 

"tuesday ye 5 of May Loren Weeb come at noon to board with me on Dr. 
Harwood's acompt and stayed till Monday ye 18th which makes two weeka 
wanting one Day, and throw out two Sabath days and there Remains one 
week and four Days to be paid for which I think comes to a bought seven and 

sixpence, 7-6." 

"May ye 29, 1788, then Reckoned withDr. Harwood on all Book acompts 
and find Due to me to balance two pounds twelve shillings and eleven pence. 

John Smith, 
Francis Harwood." 

Earlier transactions with Dr. Harwood were probably entered in 
some earlier pages missing from the book. 
Here is another: 

"April ye 22, A.D. 1785. I carried three hides to Capt. Kirtland's, w* 47 
pounds each: sd Kirtland is to tan and curry sd hides to the halves as we say, 
and I am to have all the Leather by paying him for his half and if sd Leather 
is not Done well: sd : Kirtland is to Pay all Dammages to me for the same a» 
we agreed to gether he should in his shop, John Smith." 

One more will suffice: 



' ' November > then Mr. Samuel hulbed Dete to me for my horse 
ye 15, 1778 ) to fetch you and your tools from Connecticut 

one bushel and half "> * last Spring. I called it sixty five miles, 

of rye Mr. hulbud r j. ^ • • n. • i 

borrowed ) to: keeping your maire colt six weeks, 

June: ye ^ Mr. Samuel hulbet came to my house with his 

16th: 1779 j family and put his maire and cow into my Pas- 

tour for me to keep. 



£ 8. d. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 



161 



£ s. d. 



August 



September 

ye: 7: 
October: 13 



to: seven pounds and 3 ounces of mutton, 
to: one bushell and an half of rye, 
to: timber for a bedsted, . 
to: half a Day moving, 
to: four pounds and ^X of mutton, 
to: moving part of a Day, 
to: one bushel and an half more of rye, 
to: half a bushel of wheat, 
to: two peaces of mutton wayed: 10: pounds, 
to: ten pounds and an half of mutton, . 
) to: 28 Pounds of beef at 2: 2: y pound, 
) to: ten pounds and a Quarter of mutton, 

to: fifty pounds of beef, 

Mr. bulbed Dets to me for grass as it stood on 
the ground to be three Day's work, 
October: ye 25: to: fifteen pounds of Pork, . . . . 
to- 23: pounds of choice beef, 
to: Pastouring your mare: 19: weeks, 
to: Pastouring your cow 23: weeks, 



to: two Days work with oxen and John three 

Days work that I have not got Down and you 

had got on your book in my favor before the 

a Bove footing, ..... 

) to: eight Pounds of choyse Pork, 

) to: finding your firewood four weeks, 

to: Leather apron Part worn, . 

to: one old Jackit A good part worn, 

to: four: 10: ounces of choys good beef, 

to: 77: feet of Cheary Bords, . 

to: half abushel of wheet, 



January ye ' 
A. D: 1780: 



" November 
ye 15: 1778: 
June: 21 
A. D: 1779: 
July 

"December: ye 
1: A. D: 1785: 



Mr. Samuel hulbut Cridt 

By Joyner work for me, ..... 

Mr. hulbut credt. By his mare to ride three 
times to Chilsons called: 15: miles. 

By his mare a Journey to mountearmes: 65: 
milds at one penny half penny per mile, 

Mr. Samuel Hulbud Dr 

to: a blue brod cloth coat price forty shillings 
and he gave me an order on Ruf us Lyman for 
ten shillings and there is now Du to me to 
wards: sd coat: thirty shillings, 

to: a cheese Last summer: wt 16 pounds. 






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163 A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 

£ s. d. 

to: my going with you to northamptin once, .030 

to: my old mare for Mr. Higgins to ride to 

Northampton for you after Jesse, . . n i 4 

Julv ye 19. ) , , , 

A n- i7«r r to: one cheese: wt 6J^ pounds, . . .038 

Nov. y 22 to: part of a Day hooping old barrils, 

February 16 ) to: two live geeas: 3: each for keeping so Long, 

A. D: 1787: f to: one gallon of Linced oile, .... 

2 15 8" 

"May: ye 12: 1789: then Beckoned with Mr. Samuel Hulbud and 
find Due to me By book Nineteen shillings and 

one penny, 19 1 

"the above acompt with hulbud settled by Samuel Hulbud 

giving a note to Levi Smith and I solde the John Smith. " 

same to Mr: Ebenezer higgins." 

One transaction stands on the book thus: 

"Mr. Montague hath pail 29: squares of glass and two quarts of Rum 
which we call five squares more the whole makes: 34: squares." 

The price of half a bushel of salt was 12 shillings; the price of half 
a bushel of buckwheat was one shilling and threepence; and of one and 
a half liushel of oats two shillings and ninepence; the price of one 
bushel and a peck of flax seed was seven shillings; the price of 24 
pounds of butter was 12 shillings. 

The following is a verbatim copy of the return on a warrant for 
town meeting, as it appears on the records of Murrayfield: 



a 



"Daited at murrayfield hampshire ss. June ye 25, 1768 the inhabitants of 
murrayfield that are qualified according to law to vote in town affairs have 
Been warned according to the Directions of this Warrant. 

pr me Stephen Lyman, Constable. 

The above is a true copy 

test pr me John Smith, town Clerk of murrayfield." 

Meeting-House. 

In 1785 the meeting-house was to some extent repaired and reseated. 
The town records show the following report, which, although it comes 
two years later than the limits of this history, yet, it can not but be of 
such interest as to recommend its insertion here: 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 163 

"Chester, December 19th, 1785. The Committee appointed to dignify and 
seat the Meeting House report their doings as follows, viz: The two front 
seats in square body and the pew at the west side of the pulpit be appropriated 
for the use of the aged, viz: Samuel Elder, John Laccore, Timothy Smith, 
John Moore, Alexander Gordon, Daniel Smith, Edward Wright, Joseph Abbott, 
Stephen Tracy, Ebenezer Seaward, Jonathan Wait, Eliakim Cooley, Mr. Proc- 
tor, Capt. Abner Smith, James Quigley, Ebenezer Prior, William Lunnon, Noah 
Kingsbury, James Carlile, Reuben Woolworth, and their wives, also the widow 
Webber, and the widow Campbell, old Mr. Sanderson, widow Williams, and 
widow Henry. 

" The fore-seats in the front gallery, the men's side, is seated with the fol- 
lowing persons: William Foote, Robert Crawford, Samuel Woolworth. Jesse 
Wright, John Bigelow, John Hamilton, James Mulhollon, Jr., David Cross, 
Enos Smith, Joseph Wright. 

"The following persons are seated in the fore-seat in the east or side gallery : 
Rufus Smith, Joseph Campbell, William Carlile, Robert Campbell, Enoch Shep- 
ard, Jr., James Wood, Ozias French, Justin Rust, John Ellis, Elijah Bscon, 
Triomas Hamilton, Quartus Rust, Jabez French, William Mulhollon, Silas Clark, 
James Bell, Noadiah Seaward, Jr., Gideon Matthews, Nathan Mann, Jesse 
Johnson, Brewster Freeman, James Albertus Core, Daniel Smith, 2d, Lemuel 
Hamilton. 

" West side of the gallery, or Woman's side, the following persons are seated 
in the fore-seat in the front gallery: Dorothy Tracy, Pernal Smith, Marjory 
Laccore, Mindwell Moore, Jinna Campbell, Nanna Mulhollon, Susannah Mul- 
hollon, Esther Matthews, Rebecca Smith, Polly Galloway, Persa Wright, Han- 
nah Owen. 

"The following persons are seated in the fore-seat on the west side gallery, 
viz: Sarah Johnson, Susannah Campbell, Eunice Johnson, Christiana Oliver, 
Lucy Sizer, Polly Blackman, Rosanna Mclntire, Diadema Mclntire, Lydia Car- 
lile, Polly Campbell, Sarah Campbell, Polly Mulhollon, Margaret Ellis, Olive 
Luanon, Margaret Shepard, Betsa Moore, Margaret Bell, Pruda Wood, Sarah 
Mclntire, Elizabeth Ingall. 

" May 16, 1788. The committee appointed to seat such as are not seated in 
the meeting house have attended to that business, and have seated the perseus 
that are maiTied and those that are most advanced in age below in the pews 
and seats as they are, or added to the respective pews they were seated in; and 
those that were not seated before in the gallery that are sixteen years old and 
upwards and all others we seat as follows: Them that are twenty-one years 
and upwards we seat in the fore-seats and those that are sixteen and upwards 
in the second seats, and we recommend to the singers to set in the front seats 
in the gallery and in the fore seats in the lower tier in the side gallery the 
men's side, by order of the committee. Stephen Lyman, Chairman. 

N. B. — Those persons that was seated by the last committee are added to 
the pews and seats ^ they was seated. Test. David Shepard, 

Town Clerk." 



164 A HISTORY OF MUBRAYFIELD. 

The persons assigned to the dignified part of the meeting-honse, 
being the pews on the lower floor, except as be-fore stated, and their 
estimated dignity as settled by the dignifying committee were as follows: 

In Dignity first, No. 1: Joel Seaward, Capt. Enoch Shepard, Col. 
Oliver, Capt. John Kelso, Doctor David Shepard, Timothy Lyman,^ 
and their wives. 

In Dignity first, Xo. 2: Capt. Nathan Wright, Isaac Bissell, Eben- 
ezer Stowe, Lieut. Abner Smith, Samuel Moore, and their wives, and 
Lieut. Joel Webb. 

In Dignity first, Xo. 3: Lieut. James Clark, AVilliam Moore, Deacon 
Jesse Johnson, James Mulhollon, William Bell, and their wives, AVidow 
Jane Mann and Ebenezer Wales, Esq. 

In Dignity first, No. 4: Edward Wright, Jr., John Bell, Capt. 
James Black, Samuel Bell, and their wives. 

In Dignity first. No. 5: Lieut. James Mclntire, Capt. Elijah Black- 
mail, Capt. William Sizer, Jabez Tracy, and their wives. 

In Dignity first, No. 6: Deacon Stephen Lyman, Jonathan Webber, 
Deacon Samuel Matthews, Deacon James Hamilton, and their wives 
and Capt. Toogood. 

In Dignity second, No. 1: Gideon Matthews, Abiel Abbott, John 
Elder, John AbI)ott, and their wives. 

In Dignity second. No. 2: Nathan AVood, AA^illiam Foote, Solomon 
Root, Joseph Henry, and their wives. 

In Dignity second. No. 3: Lieut. William Campbell, Thomas 
Elder, Lieut. John N. Parmenter, Gershom Rust, Robert Proctor, 
AA'illiam Elder, and their wives, and Lieut. Ephraim Miller. 

In Dignity second, No. 4: John Moore, Robert Smith, Thomas 
Smith, Noadiah Seaward, AVidow Patience Smith, Jonathan Miller, 
James Core, and their wives. 

In Dignity second. No. 5: Samuel Ellis, James Moore, Daniel 
Smith, Elijah Fobes, AAllliam Tanner, and their wives. 

In Dignity second. No. 6: Jonathan AA'aite, Capt. Alexander, 
Lieut. Grossman, Samuel French, Amasa Pomeroy, and their wives, 
and AA'illiam Collins. 

In Dignity second, No. 7: Andrew Henry, Zadock Ingall, James 
Campbell, AVilliam Stone, and their wives. 

In Dignity second. No. 8: Ebenezer Abbott, Jacob Fowle, Nathan 
Fobes, James Geer, and their wives, and John Billings, Daniel Smith, 
and John Gambol. 

In Dignity second, No. 9: Dea. John Blair, Abraham Fleming, 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 165 

Silas Freeman, Capt, Reuben Stanton, and their wives, and Zenas 
Searles. 

In Dignity second, Xo. 10: Simeon Mulhollon, Oliver Hitchcock, 
Robert Moore, John Laccore, Jr., and their wives, 3Iaj. Crafts, and 
David Cross. 

In Dignity third. No. 1: John S. Clark, John Carlile, Zebulon 
Isham, Joab Smith, Daniel T wad well, Abner AVitt, Sylvanus Sander- 
sou, and John Sanderson. 

In Dignity third, No. 2: James McHerrin, John Grimes, Gershom 
Fhigg, William Hunt, James Melvin, John Smith, Abner Eggleston, 
and their wives, also AVidow AVheaton, John Bigelow, John 1'orry, 
Daniel Barnard, and Ozias French. 

In Dignity third, No. 3: Robert Crawford, Nehemiah Day, Eben- 
ezer Dowd, Lemuel Ellis, Thomas Flint, and their wives; also William 
Quigley, William Lee, Nathan Tanner. 

In Dignity third, No. 4: Eliakim Clapp, Luther Pomeroy, John 
Quigley, Josiah Draper, and their wives; also Mr. "Walker. 

In Dignity third, No. 5: xiaron Bell, Matthew Campbell, Joseph 
Abbott, Gideon Parsons, and their wives; also Sylvester Bemas, and 
Nathaniel Adams. 

In Dignity third. No. 6 : Henry Vaderkin, John Williams, Ebenezer 
Stanton, and their wives; also Widow Sarah Anderson, Joseph AVright, 
James AVarner, Timothy Cooley. 

In Dignity fourth. No. 1: Daniel Stone, Ebenezer Smith, Plimeas 
W^heeler, Robert Bartlett, Enos Smith, Samuel AA^ool worth, Solomon 
Ferry, and Thaddeus Ferry. 

In Dignity fourth. No. 2: Samuel Smith, Solomon Cooley, John 
Smith, 2d, Widow Bently, Datis Ensign, Roswill Benjamin, and 
Joseph Mann. 

In Dignity fourth. No. 3: AA'illiam Smith, Benjamin Stewart, Oliver 
Mclntire, James Quigley, Marshal Wheaton, Peter AVhitney, Reuben 
Warfield, Ephraim AYheaton. 

In Dignity fourth. No. 4: Henry Brass, Timothy Bacon, Justin 
Rust, John Hamilton, Jr., Elisha Stanton, Zebulon Tanner. 

In Dignity fourth. No. 5: Samuel Lee, AVilliam Prior, Solomon 
Noble, Tryal Sanderson, Samuel Perkins, Elizabeth Smith, Anna 
Brown, Amanda Core, Samuel Gould, and Ebenezer Freeman. 

The committee to "seat and dignify the meeting house" was chosen 
at a town meeting held in November, 1785, and the vote directed 
that " in seating the committee shall have regard to age, estate and 
usefulness." 



166 



A HISTORY OF 3IURRAYF1ELD. 



Plax of the Lower Floor, as Seated and Dignified by the. 
Committee in 1785. 



Di^nilyd' 



Dignity 2' 



Dignity 3' 



'\(jnilyi'' 



%. 






Pulpit. 



Tor 
acjed 
people. 



J)ianlly/-\piQrdlyd' 



.'V-/. 



Dignity i 



Dignify 2' 



~fcr aged peopie. 



fDlg, 



Dignityd* 



dignity!'^ 



Vignitylf 



■nlty/'f- 



Dignity 



^ai 




Dignity 2 ' 









Tor aged people 


Dignity/"- 


PignilyZ' 


Dignity 2'' 


Dignity^ 


VignityZ'' 


Dignity/,^ 



Dignity 3 



Dignity l'^ 



Front Door. 



Dignity /' 



Dignity i/^' 



5- 



INDKX. 



Abbott, Abiel, 88, 102. 

Ebenezer, 102, 106. 
John, 88, 102. 

" Joseph, 102. 

" Joseph, Jr., 144. 
Account book of John Sniitli, I'lO. 
Adams, jSTathaniel, 145, 165. 
Additional grant to the proprietors, 40. 
Agawam Eiver, 26, 49. 
Alexander, Nathaniel, 106, 144. 
Allen, David, 102. 
Allis, Samuel, 145. 
Anderson, Archelus, 64, 113. 
Angell, Christian, SO. 
Ajjpropriations in 1768, 58. 
Arbitration to fix places for preach- 
ing, 06. 
Armes, Thomas, 104. 
Armstrong, George, 63. 
Army, beef for, 136. 
Averet, Isaac, 150. 

Babcock, Benjamin, 106. 
Daniel, 103, 106. 
" Ebenezer, 103. 
" Rodolphus, 103. 
Bacon, Elijah, 151. 

" Timothy, 165. 
Baker. Charles, 28, 56. 
Baldwin, Abel, 109. 
" Abial, 104. 

Rev. Mr., 60, 73. 
" Samuel, 106. 
Ballentine, Rev. John, 65, 73. 
Barnard, Daniel, 145, 165. 

John, 80. 
Bartlett, Robert, 165. 
Bascom, Rev. Aaron, 67, 102. 
" ordination of, 73. 



Bascom, salary of, 00. 

" his firewood, 73, 89. 
" Caleb, 74, 81, S3. 
Beaumont, Capt., 102. 
Beef for the Army, 136. 
Belknap, Job, 106. 

■' Samuel, 64. 
Bell, Aaron, 88, 92, 106, 133. 

" Abraham, 106. 

" James, 163. 

" John, 103, 106. 

" Samuel, 102. 

" William, 64, 133. 
Bemas, Sylvester, 165. 
Benjamin, Roswell, 151. 
Bennett, Nathaniel, SO. 
Bentley, James, 106. 
Berkshire County, 24. 
Bidwell, John, 10. 
Bigelow, Daniel, 151. 

" John, 146, 151, 165. 
Billings, John, 164. 
Bills of Credit, oath concerning, 59. 
Births, 145. 
Bissell, Isaac, 104, 144. 

" Israel, 109. 
Black, George, 81. 

" James, 31, 33, 114, 133, 136. 

" James, Jr., 81. 
Blackman, Elijah, 106. 
Blackstone's Commentaries, 28. 
Blair, Absolom, 30, 33, 45, 63. 

" Anna, 33, 

" David, 57. 

" John, 62, 127, 138, 144. 

" Robert, 30, 33, 57, 63. 

" Solomon, 80. 
Bolton, David, 24, 30, 42, 53, 64. 
James, 24, 31, 42. 



168 



A HISTORY OF 3IURRAYFIELD. 



Bolton, John, 19, 34. 

" John's pet. to the General 

Court, 19. 
Bolton grant, 19, 
Boyes, John, oO, oo, 34. 

" Samuel, Jr., 151. 
Brass, Henry, 165. 
Break-neck Hill, 17. 
Brewer, John, 9. 
Brewster, Deacon of Worthington, 

139. 
Bridge, Norwich, 43. 
Bridges, 62. Conduct of the original 

^proprietors concerning, 41. 
Brockett, Joshua, 106. 
Brown, James, 57, 63. 
John, 30. 
William, 106. 
Buck, Samuel, 64. 
Bulkley, Patrick, 151. 
Bunda, B. G. Peter, SO. 
Burt, Noah, 19. 

" Samuel, 20. 

Campbell, James, 103, 151. 

" James, of Blandford, 151. 

" Joseph, 151. 

" Matthew, 57, 103, 151. 

" Robert, 103. 

William, 31, 83, 110, 127, 
137, 138, 144. 
Carlile, James, 146. 

" John, 105, 146. 

" William, 146. 
Carter, Asa, 14, 64, 80. 

" William, 14, 64, 80. 
Cemetery, 91. 
Chandler, John, 23, 38, 48, 75, 102, 126. 

" Samuel, 109. 

Chester, 142. 

" Center, 47. 

" Factories, 31. 

" Village, 19. 
Church discipline, 74. 

" organization of, 69. 
Clapp, Ebenezer, 14. 

" Elijah, 14. 

" Eliakim, 146. 

" Job, 35. 



Clapp, Jonathan, .50. 
" Joseph, 151. 
" Samuel and Mary, 13. 
Clark, James, 24, 30, 42, 46, 53, 58, 83, 
92, 101, 112, 113, 115, 116, 127, 133, 137. 
Clark, James, Jr., 62. 

" James of Norwich, 18, 63, 75, 80. 
" Job, 105, 109. 
" John, 104, 144. 
" John S., 165. 
" Moses, 159. 
" Silas, 163. 
Clothing for the Soldiers, 125. 
Cochran, Glass, 31, 33, 34. 
Collins, Daniel, 151. 
" Ebenezer, 103. 
" William, 164. 
Committee of Correspondence, 112. 
Confession of faith and names sub- 
scribed thereto, 72. 
Constitution, form of, sent to the 
towns for approval by the General 
Court, in 1778, but rejected by the 
towns, 116, 118. 
Constitution, A new draft of in 1779, 

132. 
Conventions to fix prices of necessa- 
ries, 131. 
Converse, Benjamin, 12, 133, 144. 

" Samuel, 106. 

Conveyances of real estate, the earliest, 
to wit: 
Bolton to Burt and Lyman, 20. 
Bolton to Taylor, 20. 
Brewer to Weller, 10. 
Clapp to Wait, 51. 
Clapp to Wells, 14. 
Foye to Bolton, 19. 
Green to Kirtland, 15. 
Ingersoll to Brewer, 9. 
IngersoU to Webb, 9. 
Johnson to Sprague, 13. 
Johnson to Tobb, 12. 
Kirtland to Clark, 18. 
Matthews to Hose, 11. 
Matthews to Matthews, 11. 
Sheldon to Strong, 13. 
Strong to Carter, 14. 
Webb to Clapp, 35. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 



169 



Webb to Taylor, 12. 
Weller to Bid well, 10. 
Weller to Lyman, 11. 
Weller to Matthews, 10. 
Weller to Mixer, 11. 
Williams to Kirtlaud, IT. 
•Cook, John, J., 36. 
" Mace, 80. 
" Pearley, 36. 
Cooley, Eliakim, 104. 
" George, 105. 
" Keziali, 34. 
" Solomon, 105. 
" Timothy, 146. 
Core, Abeline, 33. 

" James, 104, 144. 
Crafts, Edward, 103. 
Crawford, Aaron, 106. 
John, 31, 48. 
" Eobert, 103. 

Crekle, Patrick, 80. 
Crooks, John, 31, 33, 34. 
Cross, David, 163. 
Crossett, John, 80. 
Crossman, William, 103. 
Crow, David, 12, 80. 
" James, 80. 
" John, Jr., 57, 80. 
" Thomas, 12, 63, 75, 80. 
Oiilver, Timothy, 62. 
Cummings, John, 21. 
Cashing, Anna, 18. 
*' Jacob, 18. 

Dana, Daniel, 80. 

Day, Nehemiah, 165. 

Dean, Joshua, 21. . 

Deaths, 154. 

Debts of the town in 1768, 59. 

Declaration of Independence, vote in 
favor of, 115. 

Deer-Reves, 54. 

Depreciated Currency, 91, 128. 

Dewey, Russell, 106. 

Dickinson, Amaziah. 34. 

Difficulties that beset the early set- 
tlers, 27, 35. 

Distribution of the early settlers by 
the proprietors, 31 



Division of Murraytleld, 75, 76, 77. 
Drake, Abraham, 151. 
Draper, Jonathan, 144. 

" Joshua, 87. 
Dunham, Calvin, 106. 
Dwight, Josiali, Esq., 20. 

Early custom of granting townships 

to tenants in common, 21. 
Early settlers, their difficulties, 27, 35. 
" " distribution of, 31. 

" " where they came fi'om, 

33. 
Edwards, Vester, 151. 
Eggleston, Abuer, 165. 

" Benjamin, 101, 133, 151. 

" Bigott, 57, 58, 83. 

" Jebial, 57, 80, 

" Samuel, 151. 

Elder, John, 63, 103. 

Samuel, 30, 53, 83. 
" Thomas, 63, 138. 
" William, 103. 
Ellis, John, 163. C~] 

" Samuel, 57, 58, 92. 
English, Andrew, 30, 33. 
William, 30, 33. 
Ensign, Deodatus, 152. 
Excise duties, 141. 

Fairman, James, 31, 58, 80. 
Samuel, 57, 58, 80. 
Faith, confession of, agreed upon, 72. 
Falley, Eichard, 105. 
Falley's x Roads, 19. 
Farnsworth, Zadreus, 104. 
Ferry-boat proposed, 62. 
Ferry, Solomon, 147, 165. 

" Thaddeus, 147, 165. 
Field, Robert, 81. 
Financial condition of the country in 

1779, 126. 
Firewood for Mr. Bascom, 73, 89. 
First division of lots, 28. 

" gristmill, 50. 

" Justice of the Peace, 95. 

" meeting house, 53. 

" meeting of the proprietors, 29. 

" town controversy, 55. 



170 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 



First town meeting, 53. 
" town meeting after the division 
of the town, 82. 
First valuation list, 57. 
Flagg, Gershora, 105. 
Flemming, Abraham, 24, 42, 47, 48, 

54, 74. 
Flint, Thomas, 103. 
Fobes, Caleb, 57, 58, (34, 73, 75, 79, 80. 
" Elijah, 80. 
" Nathan, 147. 
" Simeon, 105. 
•' William, 57, SO. 
Foot, John, 19. 

" William, 88, 144. 
Fowle, Jacob, 103. 
Fowler, Bildad, 105, 109. 
Foye, John, 19, 34. 
Freeman, Brewster, 163. 
" Ebenezer, 80, 99. 
" Silas, 104. 
French, Jabez, 152. 
" Ozias, 1.52. 
" Samuel, 105, 147. 
William. 80. 
Fuller, Zebulon, 24, 31, 42, 80. 

Gambol, Johu, 164. 
Geer, Ebenezer, 63, 75, 80. 
" Elijah, 63, 75, 80. 
" Eunice, 99. 
" James, 81. 
" Joseph, 152. 
" Silby, 81. 
Gibbs, Isaac, 64. 
Gilmore, David, 24, 30, 42, 47. 
" James, 57, 80. 

Johu, 24, 30, 42, 63. 
Glasgow, 24. 
Gleason, David, 103. 
Goodwell, Nathan, 152. 

" Nathaniel, 152. 

Gordon, Alexander, 30, 48, 54, 99. 
" Ebenezer, 63. 
" Samuel, 63. 
Goss Hill, 34, 46. 
. Gould, Asa, 106. 
" Samuel, 88. 
Granger, Luther, 152. 



Grants prior to sale of township, 
to wit: 
Bolton grant, 19. 
Green and Walker grant, 14. 
Ingersoll grant, 7. 
Sheldon and Clapp grant, 13. 
Williams grant, 17. 
Graves, Moses, 15. 
Green, Allyn, 99. 
" Anua, 15. 
" George, 15. 
" John, 15. 
" Joseph, 14, 15. 
Green mountain range, 24. 
Grims, John, 152. 
Griswold, .John, SO. 
Grout, Capt. 103. 

Halberd, David, 80. 
Hale, Aaron, 152. 

" Moses, 24, 31, 42, 63. 
Halliday, Hiram, 14. 

" Job, 14. 

Hamilton, James, 57, 66, 73, 83, 92, 

99. 127, 133, 142, 144. 
Hamilton, John, 104. 
" Thomas, 163. 

" Samuel, 152. 

Hampshire County, 24. 
Hancock, Lewis, 147. 
Hannum, John, 30, 33. 
Harkell, John, 63. 
Hart, Rev. Mr. Ashel, 65, 66. 
Harwood, Dr., 160. 
Haskell, John, 1.52. 
Hawley, Joseph, 24, 59, 79. 
Hedges, David, 105. 
Henry, Andrew, 81, 144. 

" Jonas, 152. 

" Joseph, 81, 1.52. 

" Malcom, 34, .53, 55, 101, 112, 
113, 114. 
Henry, William, 81, 82. 
Higgins, Ebenezer, 162. 
Highways laid out in 1769, 61, 155. 
Highways, 96, 1.55. 
Hill, William, 103. 
Hingham, Solomon, 152. 
Hitchcock, Oliver, 105. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 



171 



Holland, James, 154. 

" William, 152. 
Holyday, Josiah, 64. 

" Solomon, 64, 80. 

" Solomon, Jr., 64, SO. 
Homes, Jabez, 80. 
Hooker, Mr., 65. 
Houses of the first settlers, 35. 
Hubbard, Elisha, 15. 
Hubbard, Mr., 63. 
Hubbill, Silas, 14. 
Hulbert, Samuel, 1.52, 160, 162. 
Hunt, William, 105, 109. 

Insall, Zadock, 104. 
Ingersoll grant, 7. 
Ingersoll, David, 7, 0. 

" Thomas, 7, 14. 

Interval lands, 26. 
Isham, Lebanon, 101, 142. 
Zebulon, 103. 

Johnson, Jesse, 31, 33, 66, 67. 68, 73, 
83, 99, 112, 115, 116, 127, 133,139, 142. 
Johnson, John, 9, 12. 
Jones, Cornelius, 21. 
" Elisha, 21. 

John, 101, 13.3, 142. 
Nathan, 21. 

Samuel, 92, 101, 103, 133, 142. 
Zebulon, 64. 
Judd, Rev. Jonathan, 73. 
" Selathial, 152. 
" Sylvester, 105. 
" Thomas, 106. 
Justice of the Peace, first, 95. 

Kellogg, Samuel, 103. 
Kelso, Hugh, 105. 

John, 99, 137. 
Kennedy, Thomas, 24, 30, 42, 46, 47, 

48, 53. 
Kennedy, William, 24, 31, 42. 
Kenney, Jethro, 106. 

" Thomas, 106. 
King, Ebenezer, 12, 34, 54, 58, 80. 

" Phineas, 1.52. 
Kingsbury, Noah, 105. 
Kingsley, Ebenezer, 17. 



Kingslej^, Nathaniel, 67. 

Kingston, Paul, 31. 

Kinney, Dorothy, 33. 

Kirtland. John, 15, 18, 63, 64, 67, 68,. 

73, 75, 76, 79, 80, 98. 
Kirtland, Daniel, 18, 63, 80. 
Knight, Samuel, 63, 80. 

Laccore, John, 30, 58, 66. 
" John, Jr., 81. 
" Lemuel, 57. 
Lamb, David, 1.52. 
Lamberton, Henry, 106. 
Lathrop, Picv. Joseph, 73. 
Lawrence, Abel, 21. 
Law-suits, 56. 
Lee, William, 105. 
' Leonard, Nathan, 67. 
" Noah, 152. 
Loomis, Luther, 109. 
Lots, first drawing of, 30. 
Lunnon, William, 106. 
Lyde, Byfield, 15. 
Lyman, Elias, 30, 33. 
" John, 20, 30, 33. 

" Nathan, 11. 

Stephen, 33, 42, 54, 58, 65, 67, 
73, 92, 98, 100, 114, 115, 127, 131, 132, 
133, 135, 138, 139, 143, 144. 
Lyman, Timothy, 33, 73, 99, 100,- 127,. 
1.36, 138, 139, 144. 

Malian Elver, 17. 
Mann, Joseph, 165. 

" Nathan, 30, 47, 53, 63. 
" William, 24, 30, 42, 53. 
March meeting, 1769, 60. 
Marriages, 150. 
Mathar, David, 103. 
Matthew, Benjamin, 10, 30, 33, 34. 

Gideon, 12, 31, 33, 42, 53, 
.58, 66, 116, 144. 
Matthew, Lucas, 152. 

" Reuben, 60, 63. 

" Samuel, 60, 63, 68, 73, 98, 99, 

112, 114, 115, 127, 131, 133, 135, 144. 
McHenry, Lieut., 81. 
Mclntire, John, 30, 54, 74, 87, 89, 138. 
" Thomas, 31. 



172 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 



84. 
162. 



the 



101. 



Mclntire, William, 88. 
McKnight, James, 57. 
Meacham, Ebenezer, 24, 31, 33, 42, 54, 

58, 64, 80. 
Meeker, Daniel, 57. 
Meeting-house, care of, 87. 

" manner of seating, 88. 

" plan of, 86, 166. 

" seating of in 1773, 

" seating of in 1785, 

Melvin, James, 165. 
Memorial of John Kirtland to 

Court, 76. 
Messenger, Ebenezer N., 152. 
Middlefield, southeast corner of, 
Millard, Oliver, 152. 
Miller, Ephraim, 104. 
" Jonathan, 104. 

Oliver, 1,53. 
" Roger, 17. 
" Rev. Simeon, 66. 

William, 24, 31, 34, 42, 53, 58, 
60, 73, 80. 
Mill lot, 51. 
Minister lot, 37. 
Mixer, Isaac, 11, 54, .58, 64, 65, 73, 75, 

80, 82. 
Mixer, Isaac, Jr., ,57, 75, 80. 
Mixer's tavern, 11, 68, 75. 
Montague, Peter, 159. 
Moore, James, 103. 
John, 103. 
" John, Jr., 148. 
" Robert, 105. 
" Samuel, 105, 144. 
" William, 31, 58, 89, 127, 131, 
133. 
Moose Meadow, 8. 
Morcton, Thomas, 30. 
Morgan, Abner, 43. 
Morse, John, 99, 106. 
Samuel, 104. 
Moseley, David, 10, 138. 

" John, 35. 
Moss, Moses, 24, 31, 42. 
Mulhollon, James, 63, 163. 
" Simeon E., 103. 

William, 163. 
Murray, John, 23, 38, 47, 49, 56, 75, 
102, 126. 



Murrayileld, 39. Incorporation of, .52. 
Mussey, Benjamin, 1,53. 
Myrilield, 142. 

Name of town changed, 142. 

Napping, George, 81. 

Nash, Noah, 21. 

New Glasgow, 27. 

New Hingham, 24. 

New Settlers in 1769, 62; in 1770, 63. 

Newton, Obediab, 81. 

Thaddeus, 81, 101, 126. 
Noble, Asa, 30. 
John, 64. 

" Solomon, 165. 

" Thomas, 30. 
Nooney Brook, 48. 
Nooney, James, 104. 
Northrop, Emanuel, 99, 106. 

Joseph, 99, 105. 
Norwich Bridge, 43, 51. 
Norwich Hill, 47. 
Norwich incorporated, 78. 
Norwich, names of taxpayers in 1773, 

80. 
Norwich Pond, 14. 
Norwich, relations with Murraytield, 

99. 

Old account book of John Smith, 159. 

Old road up East Branch, 12. 

Old road w]) Moose mountain, 45» 

Orcutt, Moses, 106. 

Original proprietors of Township No. 

9, 23. 
Otis, Allen, 109. 

'• Col. James, 102. 

" James, 38, 44, 47, 49, 102. 

" Joseph, 102. 

Paine, Timothy. 23, 38, 47, 49, 56, 75. 

102, 109. 
Palmer, David, 63, 68, 73, 75, 80. 
David, Jr., 63, 80. 
John D., 80. 
Paper currency, depreciation of, 128. 
Parks, Reuben, 153. 

Warham, 109, 138. 
Parmenter, John N., 92, 103, 107, 133, 
134, 138. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 



173 



Parsons, Joseph, 18. 
" Moses, 21. 
" Sarah, 18. 
Partridge, Abel, UO, 10(5. 
" Oliver, 1'), 17. 

Pease, Abuer, 57, 03. 
Peltoii, Tabor, 153. 
Perkins, Samuel, 165. 
Pomeroy, Amasa, 103, 148. 
" Ebenezer, 7, 14. 

" Joseph, 100. 

" Luther, 148. 

" Samuel, 03. 

Poor of the town, 95. 
Pound, town, 94. 
Pratt, Benjamin, 24. 
Pratt, Othiel, 10(5. 

Preaching, action touching, 65, 66, 67. 
" controversy about, 75. 

" towns required to sup- 

port, 69. 
Prices of necessaries, convention to 

fix, 131. 
Prior, Ebenezer, 103. 
" Hem.an, 153. 
" William, 103. 
Proctor, Robert, 57, 92, 133. 
Proprietors' complaint to the Gen- 
eral Court, 39. 
Proprietors' records, beginning of, 28. 
Province, general condition of, in 1702, 

27. 
Province lands, leasing of, 24. 

Quigley, Hugh, 1.53. 
" James, 163. 
" John, 105. 
William, 165. 
Quotas of men for the war, 107; con- 
troversy -with other towns concern- 
ing, 131; additional called for, 135, 
137. 

Eepresentatives to General Court, 98, 

114. 
Revolutionary war, 110. 
Rhodes, Isaac, 104. 

" William, 104, 
Riley place, 46. 



Roberts, Timothy, 1.38, 139. 
Rock House Corner, 9, 65. 
Root, Solomon, 104, 104. 
Rose, Eunice, 11. 

" Israel, 11, 24, 30, .33, 42, 53, 58, 

m. 

Rose, Xathan, 31, 33, 58, 

" Zebulon, 57, 80. 
Rude, John, 03, SO. 
Russell, Jonathan, 03. 
William. 104. 
Rust, Gershom, 64, 92, 133. 

" Justin, 149. 

" Quartus, 163. 

Sale of township No. 9, 21. 
Sanderson, John, 105. 

" Sylvester, 105, 109. 

" Tyrol, 153, 105. 

Schools, 62, 91. 
School lands, leasing of, 92. 
School houses, 94. 
Scotch settlers, 27. 
Scott, David, 24. 30, 42, 45, 47, 04, 75, 

79, SO, 83, 98, 114. 
Scott, John, Jr., 30, 33. 

" William, 153, 
Searle, .Job, 153. 
" Zenas, 105. 
." Zopher, 105. 
Second meeting of the proprietors, 47. 
Settlers before 1702, names of, 23. 
" upon Ingersoll grant, 34. 
Seward, Ebenezer, 163. 

Joel, 81, 101, 11.5, 136. 
" Noadiah, 104, 
" Noadiah, Jr., 163. 
Shelden, Ebenezer, 13. 
" Ephraim, 104. 
Shepard, Dr. David, 63, 64, 83, 92, 96, 
99, 100, 107, 112, 114, 127, 133, 134, 
138, 139, 143, 144. 
Shepherd, Enoch, 81, 89, 92, 93, 98, 99, 

101, 107, 114, 127, 142. 
Sizer, William, 100. 
Slayton, Asa, 153. 
Sloper, Capt. of Blandford, 139. 
Small-pox and inoculation, 95. 
Smith, Abner. 30, 33, 48, 64, 65, 74, 83, 
92, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 113, 114, 137. 



174 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 



Smith, Abner, Jr., 81, 137. 

" Daniel, 104. 

" Daniel, Jr., 105. 

" Ebenezer, 104. 

" Enos, 153. 

" Jacob, 153. 

" Joab, lOG, 153. 

"_ John, 30, 33, 42, 53, 55, 56, 58, 
60,' 03, 159. 
Smith, John, 2d, 105, 

" John, 3d, 106. 

" Levi, 162. 

" Thomas, 60, 144. 

" Timothy, 34, 53, 55, 56, 58, 60, 
74, 70, 83, 99, 100, 113, 13S, 144. 
Smith, Robert, 48, 63, 144. 

■" Eiifus, 163. 

" Samuel', 165. 

" William, 105, 144. 
Snow, Ezekiel, 57. 
Soldiers, clothing? for, 125. 

" money for, 115. 

" names of, 130. 

" pay of, 135. 

" support of families, 135. 
Sprague, John, M. D., 13. 
Stanton, Ebenezer, 165. 
Elijah, 104. 
" Elisha, 165. 
" Joseph, 80. 
" Eeuben, 165. 
Stebbins, Joseph, 105. 

" Joseph J., 105. 
Stevenson, John, 153. 
Stewart, Benjamin, 165. 
Stoddard, John, 7, 14. 
Stone, Daniel, 104. 

" William, 88, 144. 
Story, Jabez, 80. 

Stowe, Ebenezer, 105, 133, 135, 137, 138. 
Strong, Caleb, 13. 14. 

" Simeon, .56. 
Sylvester, Gershom, 153. 



Taxes, complaint of non-resident tax- 
payers, 109. 
Taylor, Eldad, 12, 20, 28, 52, 53, 56. 

John, 64, 81, 101, 142. 
Third meeting of the proprietors, 48. 

" town meeting, 58. 
Thomas, Solomon, 14. 
Thompson, John, 81, 101, 142. 

" John, Jr., 81. 

Tiffany, John, 64, 80. 
Tillotson, Ebenezer, 104. 
Tobb, Nicholas, 12. 
Toogood, Capt, 164. 
Tony, Calvin, 106. 
" Jabez, 64. 
" John, 165. 
Town, change of name, 142. 
" division of, 75, 76, 77. 
" lines, 64. 

" meeting in March, 1783, 143. 
" northwest corner of, 142. 
" poverty of in 1782, 136. 
Township No. 9, 23. 

" " original proprietors 

of, 23. 
Townshii5 No, 9, topography of, 24. 
Tracy, Jabez, 92, 106. 
" Stephen, 163. 
Tud, Rev. Mr., 65. 
Tupper, Benjamin, 67. 
Twadwell, Daniel, 57, 133. 
" David, 99. 

Vadekin, Henry, 150. 
Valuation list in 1768, 57. 
" " 1772, 64. 

lists in 1775, 1776, 1777, 1780, 

1781, 1782, 101. 
Valuation list, controversy about, .55, 

56. 
Valuation, fluctuation of during the 

war, 128. 
Voters, list of qualified in 1770, 63. 



Taggart, James, 12, 57. 
Tanner, William, 149. 
" Zebvilon, 165. 
Taxes, difficulty of collecting during 
the War of the Revolution, 106. 



Wade, John, 81, 

Wait, Jonathan, 51, 54, 57, 74. 

'• Jonathan, Jr., 144. 
Wales, Ebenezer, 104. 
Walker, Isaac, 14, 15. 



A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD. 



175 



War charges, 115; Equalizing the 

burdens of, 137. 
Ward, John, 104. 

" Samuel, 102, 109. 
Ware, Jonathan, 80. 
Wares, Deacon, of Norwich, 139. 
Warfield, Reuben, 16.5. 
Warner, James, 149. ^ 

Warrants for town meeting, 95. 
Washburn, Miles, 63, 75, SO. 
Webb, Joel, 164. 
" Thomas, 9. 
" Samuel, 12,34, .54, 63. 
Weeb— or Webb— Loren, 160. 
Webber, Ebenezer, 24, cO, 42, 47, 54, 

58, 60, 66. 
Webber, John, 24, .30, 42. 

Jonathan Hart, 24, 30, 33, 42, 
48, 58, 60, m. 
Webber, Jonathan, 30, 66, 133. 
Weller, Nathaniel, 10, .34, 63. 
Wells, Joseph, 14. 

Westfield River Branches, 11, 25, 34. 
Wheat, Samuel, 64. 
Wheaton, Ephraim, 165. 
" Marshall, 165. 

Wheeler, Phineas, 150. 
White, Elijah, 104, 106. 
" Jude, 1.54. 
Nathan, 106. 
Whitney, Benjamin, 63. 
John, 63. 
" Peter, 165. 
Willard, Aaron, 21. 

Abijah, 23, 38, 47, 48, 56, 75, 
102, 126. 
Willard" s heirs, 109. 
Williams, Charles, SO. 
" Daniel, 63, 80. 



Williams, Davenport, 106. 
" Elijah, 15. 

" George, 106, 113. 

" Isaac. 63. 

" Job, S. 

John, 104. 
" Rev. -John, 17. 

" Larkin, 106, 116. 

" Nathan, IS. 

" Peter, 57, .58. 75, 80. 

" Rodman, 106. 

'• Rev. Stephen, 17. 

William, 21, 23. 
Wilter, Joseph, 106. 
Winslow, .Joshua, 8. 
Witt, Abner, 106, 150. 

" William, 1.50. 
Wolves, 95. 
Wood, James, 163. 
" John, 31, 33. .34. 
" Nathan, 164. 
Woods, John, ,30, .34. 

" Levi, 30, 33, ,34. 
Woodworth, Abigail, 18. 
" Samuel, 18. 

Woolworth, Eli, 105. 

Reuben, 57, 58, 66, 74, 89, 
133, 144. 
Woolworth, Samuel, 154. 
Worthington, John, 24. 
Wright, Bazelial, 81. 
" Edward, 63. 
" Edward, Jr., 63, 136, 144. 
" Jesse, 104. 
" Joseph, 150. 
" Joshua, 150. 

Jude, 104. 
" Nathan, 81, 1.50. 
" Thomas, 57, 63. 



— — . - ,i^r .-/». ,* ^nrj" 



